The NSW Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party is in disarray after two MPs quit over their leader's misogynistic comments to a former party colleague in parliament.
The member for Orange Philip Donato and Barwon MP Roy Butler announced their resignations from the party on Monday, a month after telling leader Robert Borsak to quit over his comments.
In parliament earlier this year, Mr Borsak suggested independent MP and former party member Helen Dalton should be "clocked".
Mr Donato, Mr Butler and Upper House member Mark Banasiak met Mr Borsak in the final two sitting weeks of NSW parliament last month and told him not to contest the March election.
At the party's annual meeting in Singleton on Saturday, Mr Donato said the leader was again pressed on the comments but remained unrepentant.
Mr Donato quit at the meeting and tendered his formal resignation to the party on Monday. He and Mr Butler will stand as independents at the election.
The party was already grappling with internal struggles, Mr Donato said, and the comments to Ms Dalton were the final straw.
"He's never tried to withdraw those comments, he's never apologised, he's never tried to clarify them," Mr Donato told AAP.
"From someone with my own personal and professional integrity and credibility, and my background as a police officer and a prosecutor, I can't continue to support a leader like that."
Mr Butler told AAP his position had become untenable.
"There hasn't been any apology for the comments," he said.
"Fifty per cent of my voters are women. They don't expect me to stand idly by with a comment like that and just do nothing about it.
"I tried to do something about it and keep the party in one piece. But unfortunately, that's not the way it's gone."
The MPs began a push to change members of the party executive, attempting to move Mr Borsak's key allies out, including his son.
However, their attempts to reform the top ranks were unsuccessful.
Mr Donato said the 30-year-old party had failed to evolve.
"While the composition of that executive exists, nothing's going to change," Mr Donato said.
"We tried and we had a lot of support from branches. There was a whole lot of shenanigans that went on, which I won't go into.
"After what I saw happen on Saturday at the AGM, it made me more resolute to do what I'm doing now."
Deputy Premier Paul Toole said the resignations were another instance of Shooters Party infighting.
"This goes to show the Shooters Party brand is diving because people are actually seeing ... the party do not represent the people in this state."
Mr Donato and Mr Butler are popular MPs in their western NSW electorates, which cover a large part of the state.
Mr Butler was elected in 2019 with a 19.5 per cent swing from the National Party.
Mr Donato won a by-election in 2016 when Andrew Gee moved to federal politics, and he held on to the seat with a 36.9 per cent swing from the Nationals in 2019.
A Shooters Party spokeswoman declined to comment on the resignations.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on the Newcastle Herald website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. Sign up for a subscription here.
