'A Tough Ask': Coalition Braces for by-Election Defeat
Matt Canavan says the Coalition faces a tough fight as more than 45,000 people have already voted in the contest.
- On Saturday, voters in the federal seat of Farrer will head to the polls to replace former opposition leader Sussan Ley. The by-election is a showdown between One Nation candidate David Farley and independent Michelle Milthorpe.
- Nationals leader Matt Canavan admits retaining the seat is an "uphill battle" for his party after 25 years of Coalition control. Deputy Liberal leader Jane Hume also called it a "tough ask" following Ley's resignation.
- One Nation leader Pauline Hanson expressed confidence in Farley's candidacy, while Labor's decision not to field a candidate prompted long-time supporter Nico Mathews to back One Nation instead.
- More than 45,000 people in Farrer have already cast their votes ahead of Saturday's poll, according to the Australian Electoral Commission. This reflects intense engagement in the seat held by Coalition parties since 1949.
- Should One Nation win, it would mark the party's first lower house seat at an election, potentially reshaping federal politics. Milthorpe seeks to capture the seat after coming close to unseating Ley in the 2025 poll.
16 Articles
16 Articles
Farrer by-election a crucial test for One Nation
The final pitches have been made to voters ahead of a crucial by-election. The NSW seat of Farrer was recently vacated by former opposition leader Sussan Ley. The poll is likely to be a contest between independent Michelle Milthorpe and One Nation’s David Farley.
Sydney Morning Herald
The locals all know the independent who wants to beat One Nation. The test is if they believe in her
The Climate 200-backed independent has drawn unlikely political allies during her campaign in Farrer, posing an enormous challenge to the Coalition especially.
‘A Tough Ask’: Coalition Braces For By-election Defeat
Coalition parties have conceded holding onto the seat of Farrer will be a tall order ahead of the crucial by-election. Voters will head to the polls on May 9 to replace former Opposition Leader Sussan Ley in federal parliament, following her resignation. While the electorate has been held by coalition parties since the seat’s creation in 1949, the contest is looming as a showdown between One Nation’s David Farley and independent Michelle Milthor…
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