Nation Leads Early Count in Farrer Byelection

Early results on Saturday night showed One Nation leading in the Farrer byelection, with its candidate David Farley on track to defeat independent Michelle Milthorpe and deliver the populist party its first seat in Australia's House of Representatives.

Early booths in small rural communities recorded strong support for One Nation and a sharp drop in the Liberal vote compared with the previous federal election. Milthorpe’s vote was also down but was expected to be stronger in Albury, the main population centre in the electorate.

Farrer has been held by the Coalition for its entire 76-year history. Labor chose not to contest the byelection. One Nation’s national support had grown beyond 20 percent in opinion polls in the months before the byelection.

The result would mark a significant shift in a seat long considered safe for the Coalition parties. Farley, a Narrandera-based agribusiness consultant who was once a Nationals branch member and had considered standing for Labor, started the day at Albury Public School shortly after 8am on election day. Pauline Hanson was not present with him during his early morning walk to the ballot box.

Guardian Australia revealed on Friday the extent of Farley’s earlier cooperation with the independent movement. One Nation blocked media outlets including the Guardian from attending its election night event. Hanson flew into the Farrer electorate in the final days of the campaign in a new private plane donated by supporters linked to mining billionaire Gina Rinehart.

Many polling stations around Albury were packed with volunteers in orange shirts. Paige, 33, of Howlong, voted for independent Michelle Milthorpe. " John Lacovich, 76, voted for One Nation’s David Farley because of Pauline Hanson.

"She’s honest, she knows what we need, and she makes sense when she speaks," he said. Dylan, 24, and Maddie, 25, voted for the Legalise Cannabis party. " In parallel developments in the United Kingdom, Plaid Cymru became the biggest party in the Welsh Parliament, ending Labour’s century-long election winning streak in Wales.

Rhun ap Iorwerth, the leader of Plaid Cymru, said the party now stands ready to take the necessary steps to form the next government of Wales. The Scottish National Party won a fifth straight term running the semi-autonomous government in Edinburgh.

Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill said she intends to work with the expected leaders in Scotland and Wales, stating it was the first time there could be three pro-independence First Ministers across these islands.

She had contacted SNP leader John Swinney and Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth to congratulate them on their mandates.