One Nations Farley wins Farrer by-election

David Farley of Pauline Hanson's One Nation party won the federal by-election for the seat of Farrer in New South Wales on Saturday, securing the party's first directly elected position in the House of Representatives and ending the Coalition's 77-year hold on the rural electorate.

With about 12 percent of ballots counted, Farley captured 41 percent of the primary vote, ahead of independent candidate Michelle Milthorpe's 28 percent. Coalition candidates Raissa Butkowski of the Liberals and Brad Robertson of the Nationals each received just over 9 percent. On the two-candidate preferred count, Farley led Milthorpe 60 percent to 40 percent, prompting projections of a clear victory from election analysts.

The seat became vacant in February after Sussan Ley, the former Liberal leader, resigned. Farrer, spanning a vast rural area along the Murray River about 550 kilometers southwest of Sydney, has around 175,000 residents and faces key local issues including water management, health services and agriculture.

Farley, a former chief executive of the Australian Agricultural Company and managing director of Colly Cotton, addressed supporters at a watch party in Albury. "We're like a mason...