Former One Nation candidate Cody Scholes quits the party

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The former One Nation candidate for Barker, Cody Scholes, has chosen to withdraw from the party and run as an independent instead.

The recently announced candidate made the decision after One Nation MPs failed to vote against legislation which made it a criminal offence to advocate for hate crimes.

Anything that threatened freedom of speech needed to be met with solid and decisive action, he said.

"I was drawn to One Nation because they previously supported personal freedoms, bodily autonomy, and smaller government," he said.

"Now they've taken this stand, I can no longer align myself with the party.

"Repeating the same messages and failing to connect with our voter base makes (One Nation) no different to the major parties."

Mr Scholes will now contest the seat of Barker as an independent candidate at this year's federal election.

His priority areas will include improving regional healthcare, lower power prices, increasing housing and removing red tape for local business to thrive.

Mr Scholes said that a common theme in his conversations with farmers, business owners, retail and hospitality staff, healthcare workers, tradies and the elderly had been that people felt like they were being ignored.

“The voices of voters weren’t being heard by governments, unions, regulators or other bodies that lack accountability," he said.

"People are fed up with being told what to do.

"Voters would really appreciate more personal freedoms, smaller government, better quality services and greater infrastructure.

"It’s time we go back to basics and cut the salaries of overpaid bureaucrats, be tough on crime, revamp our education system, stop taxing us into poverty, and have a longer-term vision that extends past the election cycle."

The hate crimes bill was passed in a 117-13 vote in federal Parliament on February 6, with only independent and Greens MPs voting against.

Now it is not only illegal to use violence or force against people in a group – such as those of a particular race, religion or sexual orientation – but illegal to advocate for violence or force, too.

• More information: Search for Cody Scholes on Facebook, call him on 0418 939 277 or email scholesy1995@hotmail.com.