David Farley (One Nation) was sworn in as the member of parliament for the federal electorate of Farrer on Tuesday [1, 2].
The victory marks a historic shift in regional political alignment, as One Nation secured its first seat in the House of Representatives [2]. The result ends a 77-year period of Coalition dominance in the New South Wales seat [2].
Farley's swearing-in took place at Parliament House in Canberra [1, 2]. The win follows a significant collapse in support for the previous incumbents. The Liberal primary vote in Farrer fell from 43.4% in 2025 to 12% in 2026 [2].
While the swearing-in proceeded, the Coalition parties focused on legislative opposition. The Coalition resolved to vote against the government's tax package [1]. The parties said they oppose the package on policy grounds [1].
The shift in Farrer reflects a broader change in voter sentiment within the region [2]. This volatility in the electorate has stripped the Coalition of a long-held stronghold, a seat that had remained with the party for nearly eight decades [2].
The Coalition's decision to block the tax package comes as the opposition adjusts to a changed parliamentary landscape. The government must now navigate a House of Representatives that includes a direct representative from One Nation [2].
“The victory ends a 77-year Coalition hold on the seat.”
The entry of One Nation into the House of Representatives, coupled with the collapse of the Liberal primary vote in a traditional stronghold, suggests a fragmentation of the conservative vote in regional Australia. The Coalition's resolve to block the government's tax package indicates a strategy of aggressive policy opposition to regain momentum following these electoral losses.
