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By-election in Farrer underway as votes counted
Votes are being tallied in Australia's Farrer by-election, a closely watched contest that could mark the first federal lower house victory for the right-wing populist One Nation party. Polls closed at 18:00 local time (09:00 BST) on Saturday, with results expected later in the day.
Why this race matters
The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Sussan Ley, the former deputy leader of the opposition Liberal Party, who stepped down after being ousted from her leadership role in February. While the Liberals are fielding a candidate to retain the seat, the race has become a three-way battle between the party, local independent Michelle Milthorpe, and One Nation's David Farley.
Though the outcome won't shift the balance of power in Australia's parliament-where the Labor government holds a commanding majority-it could deliver One Nation its first-ever federal lower house seat. The party has never secured a victory in the House of Representatives, though its leader, Pauline Hanson, briefly held a seat as an independent in the late 1990s before losing re-election and later returning as a senator.
Key candidates and the electoral system
Farrer, a sprawling regional constituency in New South Wales covering 127,000 square kilometers (an area larger than South Korea), has historically been a stronghold for the Liberal or National parties. However, this by-election can potentially break that tradition.
Milthorpe, a local teacher who came second to Ley in last year's federal election, is running again as an independent. Farley, One Nation's candidate, is the former CEO of the Australian Agricultural Company, a major beef producer. In a campaign video, Farley criticized the major parties, accusing them of saying one thing to voters and doing another in parliament.
Australia's preferential voting system means voters rank candidates in order of preference. The final result is determined through a two-candidate preferred count, where votes are redistributed until one candidate secures a majority. Notably, the Labor Party is not contesting the race, raising the possibility that neither of Australia's two major parties-the Labor Party or the Liberal-National Coalition-will feature in the final two-candidate count for the first time in a federal election.
One Nation's rising profile
The by-election serves as the first federal test of One Nation's support following its strong performance in March's South Australian state election, where it secured the second-highest number of votes among all parties. That result marked the party's best electoral showing to date.
The contest also represents the first electoral test for the new leaders of the Liberal and National parties, Angus Taylor and Matt Canavan, who took over in February and March, respectively. The Liberal-National Coalition suffered its worst-ever defeat in last year's federal election and has since been plagued by internal divisions and poor polling.
What's next
Results are expected to be announced later on Saturday. If One Nation wins, it would mark a significant milestone for the party, signaling growing support for its populist agenda in regional Australia. Even if it falls short, the race highlights the shifting political landscape in a seat long dominated by the major parties.
