One Nation is eyeing up Labor strongholds in Western Sydney and fielding potential candidates for the 2028 federal election, Barnaby Joyce says, after the far-right party won the seat of Farrer in a historic upset.
The populist party’s candidate David Farley was elected as the member for Farrer on Saturday in a thumping victory that broke the Coalition’s 77-year hold on the rural NSW seat.
Pauline Hanson has led the One Nation party since it was formed in 1997. Picture: NewsWire / Simon Dallinger
It was One Nation’s first successful contest for a lower house seat since its founding in 1997.
The New England MP claimed on the night of the Farrer win that One Nation was coming for Western Sydney.
He doubled down on this in comments to Seven’s Sunrise on Monday, and did not rule out coming after Energy Minister Chris Bowen’s seat of McMahon.
It includes the cities of Blacktown, Penrith, Cumberland and Fairfield.
Barnaby Joyce defected from the Nationals to join One Nation in November. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman
“We are very much in the mind for western suburbs of Sydney. I was talking to people from the western suburbs of Sydney last night … on the ground,” he said.
“To be quite frank, I think we’re talking to potential candidates. People are very enthusiastic. “They know we have a huge potential as a nation, and they want to be part of that potential, not part of this butterfly chasing exercise.”
Mr Joyce declined to provide details on the candidates being canvassed but said they were “first generation, second generation Australians”.
‘A great deal of disappointment’
Anthony Albanese attributed Mr Farley’s win to a strategic mistake by the Coalition in “legitimising” One Nation, including its decision to preference the far-right party.
“I think the Liberal Party and National Party made a big mistake legitimising One Nation and adopting many of their policies but a lighter version of them,” the Prime Minister told ABC Radio National.
Anthony Albanese said the Coalition effectively endorsed One Nation. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman
“And then following that up by giving them preferences, they were saying effectively that it was OK to vote for One Nation rather than the traditional conservative party.”
Mr Albanese added there was a “great deal of disappointment” among conservative voters with the break-up of the Coalition, which split twice – first in May 2025, then again the following January.
He said the ousting of former opposition leader Sussan Ley, who held Farrer for more than two decades, was also a factor.
“The removal of a leader who had represented of course that seat in Sussan Ley for 25 years but who was removed without even being given the opportunity to do a single budget reply,” Mr Albanese said.
Mr Albanese said former Farrer MP Sussan Ley’s ousting as Liberal leader left a legacy of ‘betrayal’. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman
“And the way that was done, having these meetings on the day of the funeral of one of their former colleagues, I think left an extraordinary legacy of betrayal for people who had supported Sussan Ley for a long period of time.
“And also, quite clearly, there’s a lot of people under financial pressure who feel like the system isn’t working for them.
“And that’s a message for all political parties in the system.”