Key Takeaways
- The Riverina seat of Farrer, a Coalition stronghold since 1949, is experiencing unprecedented support for Pauline Hanson’s One Nation, with polls suggesting a primary vote above 30 %.
- Long‑standing anger over water‑allocation decisions—particularly the perceived sidelining of the Murray‑Darling Basin Plan—has become the central driver of voter discontent.
- Economic fallout from water policy, including a collapse in housing construction and chronic workforce shortages, has deepened the sense that regional interests are ignored.
- Residents describe feeling unheard by both major parties, prompting many to back One Nation as a protest vote rather than an endorsement of its full platform.
- Candidate David Farley, a lifelong local figure with deep agribusiness roots, is attracting support more for his personal reputation than for the party’s policies.
- If One Nation wins Farrer, it would mark the party’s first ever House of Representatives seat and signal a structural shift on the Australian right, challenging the Coalition’s traditional heartlands.
The Changing Political Mood in Griffith
By mid‑morning the cafés along Banna Avenue buzz with espresso machines and fresh pastries, yet beneath the routine lies a palpable political bitterness. Conversations have moved beyond crops, water allocations or wine exports to a blunt question: who sold the region out? The once‑stable Coalition allegiance is fraying, and a growing undercurrent of frustration is coalescing around Pauline Hanson’s One Nation, a shift that would have seemed implausible just a few years ago.
Decades of Coalition Loyalty
Farrer has been a conservative stronghold since its creation in 1949, reliably returning Coalition members while neighbouring seats swing unpredictably. Labor’s presence has historically been minimal, and it is not even fielding a candidate in the upcoming byelection. This deep‑rooted loyalty made the seat a political constant, but recent events suggest that the foundation is cracking, prompting longtime supporters to reconsider their allegiance.
Water Policy as the Core Grievance
Many residents trace their disillusionment to water‑management decisions made far upstream. Paul Pierotti, president of the Griffith Business Chamber, recalls a meeting with former Liberal leader Sussan Ley, who allegedly “banged the table and said, the lower lakes are off the table, and we’re never to discuss them again if you ever want to speak to me again.” For Pierotti and others, that moment epitomised a belief that vital water choices are being made elsewhere, sacrificing the economic survival of irrigation communities for the interests of South Australia.
Economic Fallout from Water Decisions
The perceived betrayal over water has translated into tangible economic pain. Pierotti notes that home building in Griffith plummeted from roughly 250 houses a year in 2013 to only 60‑80 today, contributing to a housing crisis and a workforce shortage that leaves businesses advertising year‑round with virtually no applicants. Skilled migration, once a lifeline, has become mired in cost and bureaucracy, reinforcing the sense that regional needs are systematically overlooked.
Voices from the Streets: Griffith Residents
At Bertoldo’s Pasticceria, Judy and Wally Currie explain their shift: “I’m voting for Pauline… I think people have just had enough around here. We don’t have any good politicians, so people are just saying ‘f’ the lot of youse.” Similar sentiments echo from Karen Roberts and Lucy Cian, who describe voting for One Nation as the first time they have backed Hanson’s party, driven by fatigue with political jargon and a perception that Australia is “going down.” Even newcomer Daniel Ball, who moved from Sydney, observes that “lots of people don’t feel listened to” and that the region feels forgotten amid rapid national change.
The Rise of One Nation and Pauline Hanson
One Nation’s appeal in Farrer is less about a detailed policy platform and more about Hanson’s reputation for speaking plainly. Voters appreciate that she “says what she thinks” and articulates frustrations that major parties avoid. The party’s primary vote, which hovered around 6.6 % just a year ago, has surged to over 30 % across the electorate—enough, with Coalition preferences, to make One Nation a red‑hot favourite in the byelection.
Candidate David Farley: An Unexpected Standard‑Bearer
The party’s standard‑bearer, 69‑year‑old David Farley, is an unlikely figure: a lifelong Riverina jackaroo, former senior executive at Colly Cotton and the Australian Agricultural Company, and a man whose family has deep local ties. Although his past includes a brief flirtation with Labor and contradictory statements on One Nation policy, many supporters back him for his personal integrity rather than the party’s manifesto. De Bortoli, a longtime acquaintance, praises Farley’s “heart, intellect, tenacity” while acknowledging the “baggage” attached to his party affiliation.
Tensions Between Multicultural Identity and Populist Appeal
Griffith prides itself on multicultural cohesion, with a significant Italian‑Australian community and a history of welcoming migrants. Yet the same electorate is gravitating toward a party known for hardline rhetoric on immigration. Supporters reconcile this tension by focusing on local concerns—water security, hospital funding, and the feeling of being ignored—rather than the nationalistic elements of One Nation’s agenda. The vote becomes a protest against perceived neglect, not an endorsement of exclusionary nationalism.
Coalition’s Vulnerability and the Path Forward
If the Coalition cannot retain Farrer, questions about its route back to government become unavoidable. The seat’s loss would expose the fragility of once‑impregnable conservative strongholds and signal that loyalty is now conditional on performance, especially on water and regional development. Barnaby Joyce, a high‑profile defector to One Nation, frames the contest as a catalyst that highlights the “great divide between inner‑city luvvies and those out in regional areas.”
Conclusion: A Symbolic Shift in Australian Politics
The brewing revolt in Griffith is not about a single issue but a shared exhaustion with a political system that many feel no longer speaks for them. Should One Nation capture its first House of Representatives seat in Farrer, it would confirm a structural realignment on the Australian right, proving that the ground beneath the Coalition has shifted. The orange wave, if it crests here, will be less about Pauline Hanson’s sudden acceptability and more about a region’s decisive rejection of the status quo.