An agricultural businessman, David Farley, has been chosen as the One Nation candidate to contest the New South Wales seat of Farrer in the upcoming May by-election. The selection was made during a preselection contest held at the Albury Entertainment Centre, where Farley, 69, emerged victorious against two other contenders.
Flanked by One Nation Leader Pauline Hanson and former Nationals member Barnaby Joyce, now a One Nation MP, Farley described the outcome as a significant advancement for the region. A resident of Narrandera, Farley emphasized that water and power would be central issues on his agenda. He stated, “If we can really focus on those and then start addressing the service industries that our constituents here need, those service industries are hospital in particular, aged care, childcare and education. So that’s where the focus is.”
Water as a Sovereign Asset
Farley, who previously served as the chief executive of the Australian Agricultural Company, highlighted the critical role of water as a finite resource essential for drought mitigation and the nation’s food supply chain. He insisted that water should be redefined as a “sovereign asset.” He explained, “I think the first thing is we have to change the narrative [of water] out of an environmental asset to a sovereign asset, and then the other thing is we must address reality. We are a growing population, we’re living in a geo-political zone now that is challenged, therefore we want to make sure that the responsibility of the government is to underwrite the security of its people and food is a number one priority in there.”
One Nation’s Growing Influence
Pauline Hanson remarked on the significance of the local branch selecting its own candidate for the first time, suggesting that voters are beginning to recognize the potential impact of One Nation. “I’ve been a fighter, and so have my other representatives, for rural and regional Australia that feel they’ve been forgotten,” she said. Hanson also addressed the challenges facing rural areas, stating, “Climate change is destroying rural and regional areas. If we don’t look after these areas we’re going to lose the farming sector, which we are, and we’re also losing youth from these areas that are moving to the cities.”
The Political Landscape in Farrer
The seat of Farrer, located in southern NSW, has traditionally been a Coalition stronghold. It became vacant following Sussan Ley’s removal as Liberal Party leader and her subsequent resignation as the local member, a position she had held since 2001. With One Nation experiencing a rise in the polls, the upcoming by-election presents a potential challenge for the Coalition.
Election analyst emeritus Antony Green from the ABC described the forthcoming vote as “messy” for the Coalition. This sentiment was echoed by the new Federal Opposition leader Angus Taylor, who addressed the NSW Liberal Party state council meeting, saying, “The Farrer by-election is going to be a tough fight. But I promise you this; with your help, we’re going to put up a hell of a fight in Farrer, all the way through to the close of polling on the 9th of May.”
Labor’s Absence and the Coalition’s Strategy
Labor is not expected to field a candidate in the by-election, a decision that Hanson interpreted as a strategic move by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to avoid a potential decrease in voter support. “He knows damn well that he is going to get a lower vote than last time,” she commented. “Albanese doesn’t want to put that out to the public, so it makes no difference to him holding a majority of seats in the lower house.”
Meanwhile, the Liberal Party has yet to nominate a candidate, with the Nationals scheduled to conduct their preselection tomorrow. As the political landscape in Farrer continues to evolve, the by-election is shaping up to be a critical test for all parties involved, potentially reshaping the dynamics in a historically conservative seat.
