Members booted from NSW Nats

The NSW Nationals has ordered suspected "far-right extremists" still in the party to resign or justify why they should be allowed to remain as members.

John Barilaro

John Barilaro says investigations continue into the Nationals' far right scandal. (AAP)

Almost 20 NSW Nationals members have quit the party with more expected to be shown the door following a probe into a suspected alt-right extremist infiltration of the organisation.

Following an investigation into reports white supremacists and neo-Nazis had penetrated the party, the central executive on Friday confirmed 19 people had resigned.

Another group of suspects have been given a week to explain why they should remain members or be punted.

The party also passed a motion making far-right groups the Lads Society, Squadron 88, The Dingoes, New Guard and Antipodean Resistance incompatible with Nationals membership.

As the party was extinguishing the flames of the three-week scandal, former Nationals leader and deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce cast doubt over whether there was any Nazi infiltration at all before backtracking on his comments.

Mr Joyce earlier on Friday said he was skeptical.

"Who is the Nazi? Who is it? ... Sorry for my aggression but I am cynical of this shit," he told AAP.

"I've seen Prince Harry in a Nazi uniform, I'm pretty certain he's not a Nazi.

However, within two hours, Mr Joyce said he'd made a call and agreed there was a problem in the party.

"These guys are crazy," he said.

"(They should) have no role in our party whatsoever."

The party's federal and NSW leaders, along with the state chairman, said they were "extremely pleased" the ethics committee's urgent investigation had prompted the mass resignations.

But Michael McCormack, John Barilaro and Bede Burke in a joint statement vowed the investigation would be ongoing.

"We are glad the investigation was handled quickly and effectively but will not rest until every last one of these extremists has been identified and removed from the party," they said.

"The politics of hate and racism have no place in our party or any modern democracy and we will not tolerate attempts by extremists to hijack democratic processes to further their own ends."

The three men said the infiltrators' views went beyond a "contest of ideas" and were instead "the same small-minded, hateful beliefs Australians have always stood against".

Long-serving MPs, members and staffers have anonymously told AAP they're worried key players linked to branch-stacking involving alt-right members remain in the party and are being protected by senior figures.


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Source: AAP


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