Former independent Steven Clare running as One Nation candidate for Thuringowa

Steven Clare, the former owner of an auto-repair shop, is running for the seat of Thuringowa as a One Nation candidate after previously running as an independent. See his reasons for joining.

One Nation candidate for Thuringowa Steven Clare. Picture: Shae Beplate.

A One Nation candidate is urging Townsville to ‘wake up’, saying youth crime will continue under the major parties and has stated his first order of business would be to hold a referendum on how parliament in Queensland is run saying the state is ‘so corrupt.’

Previously running as an independent in the upcoming state election, Townsville’s Steven Clare is now the One Nation candidate for Thuringowa.

Having owned an auto-repair business until June this year, Mr Clare ran in the 2022 federal as an independent for Herbert.

Mr Clare said this election is his ‘last chance to make a real difference’ in how Townsville is run.

“Running as an independent candidate for Thuringowa has little reward in the political world,” he said.

“This decision to approach One Nation was made by myself due to unforeseen circumstances in politics.”

If elected Mr Clare said his first order of business would be to lay the foundations to bring back Queensland’s upper house after it was removed in 1922, saying there should be a referendum to let the public decide whether or not to reinstate it.

“We are the only state in Australia with no upper house hence why Queensland is so corrupt,” he said.

One Nation candidate for Thuringowa Steven Clare. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Mr Clare said looking at One Nation’s policies and seeing they aligned with his helped him make the decision to stand as a party candidate.

“One Nation is the only party that I have been a member of and it will stay that way,” he said.

On his list of priorities he cited youth crime and the cost-of-living crisis as key areas he wanted to fix, saying the cycle of crime needs to be broken.

“Most of these kids come from drug, alcohol and welfare dependent families,” he said.

“We need to break the cycle instead of giving more money to more children. Why not do the opposite and pay more money for less children. It appears some are having large numbers of children because it financially benefits them.”

Saying Townsville and Queenslanders need to ‘wake up’ from the major parties, Mr Clare said residents have ‘nothing to lose’ by voting for One Nation.

“How much more pain can the public take, when will they wake up, these two political parties could double the rates, and they will, and push up the cost of living by another 20 per cent and the long term members will still vote them in,” he said.

Having recently had the wheels stolen from his campaign trailer in Townsville, Mr Clare said the youth crime is affecting all members of the community.

“A One Nation candidate like myself can’t even park his campaign trailer on the side of the road without having the wheels stolen,” he said.

“Even the criminals are doing it tough.”