One Nation triumphs in Farrer’s constituency, ‘let’s break the glass ceiling’
The far-right One Nation party has won its first election victory in Australia’s lower house, winning by a wide margin a seat that has been held by mainstream conservative parties since 1949.
Led by Pauline Hanson, who advocates a drastic reduction in immigration and campaigns against “radical Islam”, One Nation won in the Farrer constituency, a vast farming and mining region in the south-eastern state of New South Wales.
Held by the Liberal Party of Australia and the Australian National Party since its creation nearly 80 years ago, this seat has slipped from the control of these parties due to rising costs of living, the housing crisis and concerns over divisive issues such as immigration. With almost half the votes counted in the by-election, One Nation candidate David Farley secured 42% of the vote, well above independent candidate Michelle Milthorpe, who conceded defeat.
“We are like a stonemason with chisel and hammer, carving letters into Australian democracy,” Farley told his enthusiastic supporters. “We are shattering the glass ceiling,” he added, vowing to tackle the cost of living and challenge Australia’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions. This is the party’s first victory in a constituency in the powerful House of Representatives.
One Nation had previously only gained a seat following a defection from the Australian National Party.
