'Brokeback' Barnaby: One Nation Recruit Claims Party Is 'One of the Gayest' Amid Candidate Controversy

One Nation is facing scrutiny after a former Western Australian candidate, Parminder Singh, was revealed to have described homosexuality as a mental illness. The party moved swiftly to distance itself from his views, removing his candidate page from its website within half an hour of media inquiries.

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I don't want to say it, but I think we're one of the gayest parties in Australia.

Despite the quick rebuke, Singh could still be eligible to nominate for a casual vacancy, leaving the problem unresolved for the party. Barnaby Joyce, a prominent One Nation recruit, attempted to counter the controversy by declaring the party "one of the gayest parties in Australia." He claimed a significant portion of its members are gay and that they simply seek acceptance, not glorification or vilification.

Joyce confirmed Singh's profile removal was a strong statement but did not confirm if he had been officially disendorsed. Party leader Pauline Hanson and WA leader Rod Caddies have since stated Singh's comments do not align with the party's official stance.

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We have quite a large proportion of gay people, and they're all the same. They don't want to be glorified. They don't want to be vilified. They just want people to accept, and they go on and do a very good job.

The incident has reignited discussions about One Nation's historical stance on LGBTQ+ issues. Critics have pointed to past homophobic comments by candidates and Hanson's own record, including her 1996 remark that she "doesn't like" the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras because she believed it promoted something "not natural." Joyce's unusual defense of the party's inclusivity has led to him being nicknamed "Brokeback Barnaby" by coalition MPs, sparking widespread amusement and memes online.

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It is not a good sign to be pulled off the website … if you pull someone off a website, it is a pretty strong statement.