The NSW Nationals have banned 22 people for life after an investigation into alleged links to neo-Nazi and fascist groups, but has acknowledged the need to stay "vigilant" against infiltration by extremists.
A total of 19 people have now resigned from the junior Coalition partner, and the party has written to another three members insisting they resign or face expulsion.
All 22 will be banned from ever becoming members of the Nationals again.
Nationals' federal leader Michael McCormack said every extremist would be purged.Credit: Andrew Meares
In a resolution unanimously adopted by the state executive, the NSW Nationals also agreed to ban any party member from joining alt-right groups Squadron 88, The Lads Society, The Dingoes, New Guard or the Antipodean Resistance.
Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, the federal Nationals' leader and a NSW MP, pledged an ongoing investigation into members' alleged links to white supremacist groups or neo-Nazi circles.
"We are glad the investigation was handled quickly and effectively, but will not rest until every last one of these extremists have been identified and removed from the party," Mr McCormack said.
State director Ross Cadell said he was "certain" the party had identified all the alleged radicals, but told Fairfax Media: "Who knows who will try and join tomorrow ... vigilance is ongoing."
The party did not release the names of the 22 people hit with the lifetime ban and Mr Cadell declined to confirm the names of anyone on the list.
On Wednesday, a group of 15 former members resigned, led by Clifford Jennings, who was elected to the NSW Young Nationals' executive earlier this year after recruiting enough new members to stack out the election. Another four people have also resigned during the course of the investigation.
Mr Jennings denied he was a white supremacist or neo-Nazi, but admitted to having "radical" views in the past. In a resignation letter, he accused the Nationals of betraying its founders' wishes by adopting pro-immigration policies.
"Opening Australia to mass Third World immigration is not 'moderate'. It is extremist," he wrote.
Mr Jennings also advocated the principles of the White Australia Policy, arguing he and his fellow travellers "follow the classical liberal principles that formed the basis of the Immigration Restriction Act of 1901".
His 1300-word letter to the party also disparaged the "left-propaganda agency ironically named the Australian Broadcasting Corporation" and accused the party of collaborating with left-wing blogs.
Mr Jennings - along with others in the group who recently joined the NSW Nationals - was formerly a member of the Liberal Party.