‘Unfinished business’: Independent Michelle Milthorpe’s rallying cry for Farrer

Farrer’s independent candidate Michelle Milthorpe says there is “unfinished business” after a 20 per cent swing in the 2025 primaries as she looks at a two-horse race with One Nation candidate David Farley.

Supported by Climate 200, Ms Milthorpe received 45,000 votes in the two-party preferential system in last year’s election; nearly 12,000 fewer than her rival, long-serving MP and one-time opposition leader Sussan Ley.

But with Ms Ley gone, Ms Milthorpe will primarily face off against Pauline Hanson’s right-wing populist party, according to the latest polls.

Speaking to NewsWire, Ms Milthorpe said her decision to run was a “continuation” of her previous bid.

“I hadn’t slowed down much, so I just kept at it,” he said.

“At the same time, I felt like there was unfinished business.”

Miss Milthorpe faces an uphill battle.

While both the Liberals and the National Party favor One Nation, Labor is not putting forward any candidates at all.

Ms Milthorpe has previously said she grew up “in a home where citizens voted”.

“I was looking at some of the statements our former member made and I couldn’t make the connection,” he told NewsWire.

“One of my criticisms of our former member was that as Sussan rose up in the party, she should have spent less time being present and consistent in the electorate here.

“I think that was probably a real challenge for everyone in the party scene. There were all these people telling me stories and having real needs that needed to be addressed.”

“That issue wasn’t being addressed, and so I think it maintains a sort of burning desire to remain active and relevant in this area as we watch things unfold the way they do in the Liberal Party.”

Ms Milthorpe said the Coalition had been “dysfunctional at best” over the past 12 months.

“They’re so busy fighting each other that they don’t represent the people who elected them to be there,” he said.

“It was quite a shame that Sussan was eventually expelled for someone who did the job and was a good party politician.

“I’ve heard from other people in the electorate who are traditional Liberal voters that they don’t think it’s really noticeable that he’s being pushed out.”

Ms Milthorpe said the Coalition’s preference for One Nation was “disappointing but not surprising”.

“I was the biggest threat in the last election and I entered this election as a reliable candidate,” he said.

“I find it interesting that they favor me but at the same time run a smear campaign against One Nation.”

As for Labour, he said their decision not to field a candidate “simply shows their ignorance” of voters.

“You need a different voice,” he said.

“The voice of a party is lost within a party whose priorities are not Australian.

“My voice is entirely for this voter, this voter is my party independently.”

Ms Milthorpe said there were two issues critical for voters in 2026: health and water.

He said farmers sold their land because they didn’t want “the burden of water management to fall on their children.”

“The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder owns 70 percent of the water in the system. There is no responsibility for this,” he said.

“I see farmers having a really hard time producing food, and that creates a flow-on effect in communities.

“I’m calling for a royal commission into water; we need to stop water buybacks now. It’s crippling communities.”

The Liberal and National parties are calling for a commission of inquiry instead, saying it would be quicker.

Ms Milthorpe called for a “different perspective” on healthcare in the region and said cost-of-living reductions such as a potential 25 per cent gas export tax were popular.

“We’re currently facing a triple threat of water, fuel and fertilizer. That makes it really hard for our farmers to make money,” he said.

Asked about support for One Nation, Ms Milthorpe said people were “generally cranky at the moment”.

“People are looking for something different, they’re looking for change,” he said.

“Of course they will look when they hear people repeating things they are upset about.

“But I think the opponents of One Nation and their policies do not sit well with us in Farrer.

“Health policies are very simple, and we have a health crisis for the entire electorate… The water policy is very similar, if not the same, to mine.

“Immigration policy is very strict and we need workers from our community in our electorate.”