One Nation candidate David Farley has been urged to apologise after comments he made about an Albury doctor during a live candidates’ forum triggered backlash just hours before voters headed to the polls in Farrer.
The controversy erupted on Friday night during a public forum filmed for The Karl Stefanovic Show when Dr Lachlan McKeeman challenged Mr Farley over the future of the Albury hospital redevelopment.
Dr McKeeman, a prominent advocate for improved health services in the border region, interrupted Mr Farley after the One Nation candidate defended continuing work on the existing hospital site while a possible greenfield location was explored.
“The brownfield is in progress,” Mr Farley said on Friday.
“It is not. They’ve only started the north-east building. Don’t lie,” Dr McKeeman responded from the audience.
Mr Farley then replied: “You can see why he lost his job, I think.”
The comment drew boos from the crowd and quickly became a flashpoint in the final hours of the campaign.
Dr McKeeman has not worked at Albury Wodonga Health since last year after receiving legal advice that his position had become “untenable” following his criticism of the health service and the hospital redevelopment project.
The dispute over the future of the hospital has dominated the by-election campaign, with community independent Michelle Milthorpe and Coalition figures backing a new hospital on a separate site rather than upgrading the current Albury campus.
Nationals leader Matt Canavan said the One Nation candidate owed the doctor an apology.
“David Farley should apologise to Lachie McKeeman. He’s a great doctor,” Mr Canavan said outside Albury Public School on Saturday morning.
“If that’s the approach One Nation takes for regional Australia, they’re not going to be able to stand up for regional Australia because our doctors and nurses work so hard with limited resources from their capital city masters.”
Ms Milthorpe also criticised the remark, describing it as “ignorant” and “insensitive”.
“This issue is not a joke for Dr McKeeman, and it is not a joke for the families whose lives have been deeply affected by the ongoing issues with Albury Wodonga Health,” she said.
The latest controversy capped off a turbulent campaign for Mr Farley, who has spent weeks defending his previous political links after it emerged he had attempted to run for Labor in 2022 and previously supported rival candidates.
Coalition figures repeatedly targeted the One Nation hopeful over his political history during the campaign.
“David Farley in 2022 was signing up to Anthony Albanese, signing up to net zero, signing up to water buy-backs, signing up to a doubling of the refugee intake by trying to join the Labor Party,” Mr Canavan said.
“How is that in any way, real change?
“What the country really needs, that change we need, is a change of government… And I still think the question mark will be… can Pauline Hanson, can One Nation win seats off the Labor party?”
Speaking to reporters after casting his vote on Saturday morning, Mr Farley insisted he remained focused on building support for Pauline Hanson’s party.
“I’ve got to win today, I’ve got to make sure that we’re ready for the next election and I want to help Pauline Hanson and (One Nation’s) team build a powerful political party for Australia,” he said.
Mr Farley also brushed off attacks branding him “flight-risk Farley”, insisting he was committed to One Nation.
He said the nickname involved a “powerful amount” of humour but maintained he was not a risk to defect from the party.
The One Nation candidate declared the party would “make history” if it secured the seat.
Senator Hanson had earlier described the by-election as a major test for the party’s future.
“The election is going to be a turning point for Australia, because this will be the first One Nation seat won in the lower house,” she said on Friday.
“It is time for change. I want our country back.”
Despite expectations Senator Hanson and Barnaby Joyce would appear alongside Mr Farley on election day, neither high-profile figure was present when the candidate arrived to vote at Albury Public School.