David Farley in Narrandera on polling day with Pauline Hanson, his mother Patsy and partner Janice. Photo: David Farley Facebook.
One Nation has won its first federal lower house seat in its 30 years of existence, with a huge 35 per cent swing towards its candidate David Farley at the Farrer by-election.
As at 10 pm, the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) reported that Mr Farley had 42 per cent of the primary vote, with his nearest rival Independent Michelle Milthorpe on 26 per cent. The Liberals were on 11 per cent and Nationals on 10 per cent. The vast majority of ballots have now been counted.
On a two-party preferred basis, Mr Farley leads Ms Milthorpe 59 per cent to 41 per cent.
According to Antony Green’s election blog, Ms Milthorpe won almost every Albury booth. But her vote generally deteriorated in the western side of the electorate. In Blighty, for example, One Nation got 77 per cent of the vote to her 7 per cent. The Griffith Public School and Griffith North School booths were the only two outside Albury won by the independent.
The ABC declared Mr Farley the election winner just after 8 pm.
Results have been published for the following key booths in Griffith, Leeton and Narrandera:
Griffith East – Farley 36 per cent, Milthorpe 31 per cent.
Hanwood – Farley 47 per cent, Milthorpe 26 per cent.
Lake Wyangan – Farley 50 per cent, Milthorpe 23 per cent.
Leeton – Farley 40 per cent, Milthorpe 26 per cent.
Narrandera – Farley 48 per cent, Milthorpe 28 per cent
The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Liberal leader Sussan Ley, who recorded 44 per cent of the vote at the 2025 federal election. At this stage, the Liberal Party vote has dropped by 33 per cent.
“In 2025, urban Australians showed the Liberal Party the door. Tonight, regional Australians are doing the same,” election strategist Kos Samaras said on social media.
“The campaign they ran in this seat was one of the worst I have ever seen, negative, hopeless, and entirely about what Canberra thinks. No hope. It reinforced everything voters have come to despise about this party. One Nation is clearly now the preferred party of small town Australia. Labor the preferred party of big city Australia. Bread crumbs left for what is left of Menzies’ party and yes, the Nationals.”
