Hi all, I have a bit of an urgent request.
We've all been watching One Nation's rise and wondering – when does it become real? When does it stop being polls and start being seats?
The answer might be May 9 – and the by-election in the federal seat of Farrer.
One Nation is leading the primary vote in the Farrer by-election, and on track to win. If they do, it won't just be a by-election upset. It will be a breakthrough. The first time One Nation has won a federal lower house seat. Proof that Pauline Hanson can turn poll numbers into actual power. And it won't stop there.
So I've decided, this is where we have to draw the line. And I've pulled together the most ambitious campaign plan GetUp has ever run for a single by-election to make sure we do. Here's the exciting thing – it will be close, but we can do this. We can defeat One Nation in Farrer. And we must.
Your answer to this question really matters – will you chip in to help us stop One Nation in Farrer?
No, because…
I need to make the first payment for ad space by COB Friday, so I'm really hoping we can count on you today.
This is such an important moment that I want to level with you on something that we don't always share publicly in this much detail – our campaign plan for one of the most important fights GetUp has ever taken on.
This by-election is happening because of Sussan Ley's resignation from Parliament. The regional NSW seat of Farrer has always been held by the Liberal or National parties – but with those parties collapsing, it's going to come down to a fight between One Nation and an independent candidate. It could go either way.
This race will have massive implications for the next federal election, so we've set a huge fundraising target for this campaign. $500,000. I know it's a huge amount of money. But that's what this will take. We know special interests and rich donors are already pushing enormous amounts of money behind One Nation, and if we don't match them, they will win.
With that budget, between now and May 9, we're aiming to run everything we can:- Hard-hitting TV ads across the electorate exposing One Nation's real record
- Digital ads targeted at the persuadable voters who will decide the race
- Billboards in key locations across the electorate so no one misses our message
- Doorstep information drops in letterboxes right across the seat – so every voter knows the truth before they cast their ballot
And we have to book the media space now, before we know exactly how much we can raise – because One Nation is buying up everything it can.
If we can get all of this to happen, with your support (here's the link again), we know it can work. Not with billionaire backing, but by thousands of us taking action together. Let me tell you why.
First, there's a credible alternative. Michelle Milthorpe is the community independent who came second to Sussan Ley at the last federal election – and is currently running second behind One Nation in the seat. The Greens and another independent candidate are also running.
And while One Nation is leading on primary votes, they're also the most disliked party in the electorate. If we can hold down their primary vote and persuade enough former Liberal and National voters that One Nation isn't in their interests – then One Nation loses. That's the path.
We've done the research in the Farrer region to know what works. One Nation's support is real, but it's shallow. It's driven by frustration – people are angry about rising costs, stagnant wages, and feeling ignored. Hanson is exploiting that frustration. But her support isn't locked in, and it isn't inevitable.
And here's Hanson's crucial weakness – her brand is a lie.
One Nation's actual record is supporting economic policies that put corporate profits ahead of working people. They backed giving the biggest corporations a tax cut. They voted to cut penalty rates – taking money directly out of the pockets of Farrer's shift workers, hospitality staff, and nurses. When forced to choose between big business and working Australians, One Nation sides with big business.
And look at who funds them. One Nation is bankrolled by Gina Rinehart – Australia's richest person – who has publicly called for corporations to pay less tax.¹ Pauline Hanson has taken undeclared flights on Rinehart's private Gulfstream.² She skipped parliament to speak at a conference at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort.³
Our research confirms: when persuadable voters see this evidence, One Nation's support drops. The corporate record, the Rinehart money – this is what cuts through with the voters who haven't made up their minds yet.
And the One Nation candidate in Farrer is David Farley – a corporate agriculture executive who gave himself a 28% pay rise while his company wrote down $41 million in losses.⁴ He's also the man who compared then-Prime Minister Julia Gillard to a "non-productive old cow."⁵ He's the perfect symbol of the gap between what One Nation says and what One Nation is.
So we know how to win. But it's not going to be easy. And we need $500,000 to make this plan real. TV. Digital. Billboards. Letterboxes. Every channel, every voter, every week until May 9.
Can you chip in whatever you can afford?
No, because…
We've watched the rise of authoritarian, far-right movements across the world – and we've watched country after country fail to stop them in time. We have a chance to stop our own version of this now, in Farrer – before it takes root. If we beat One Nation in a seat they're leading, in the regions they claim to own, we don't just win a by-election. We break their story and break their momentum.
We have the plan and the message. We just need you – and the dollars to compete with Pauline Hanson's billionaire backers.
I know which side I want to be on. I know I don't want to look back on this crucial election and wonder if I could have done more. I hope you're with us.
In solidarity,
Paul for the GetUp team
P.S. If One Nation wins Farrer, every regional seat in Australia becomes a target at the next election. If we stop them, we break their momentum nationally. There's a strong independent who came second last time, and One Nation's support is weaker than it looks – so we really can do this if we have your support. Please chip in whatever you can today so we can make it happen.
P.P.S. 97% of GetUp's donations are under $100, and we're proud of that. But if you're in a position to contribute significantly more, then we need all the help we can get in Farrer. Please reach out to us at dona...@getup.org.au if you're interested in making a donation of $5000 or more to our work there.
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References:
[1] 'Gina Rinehart's company gave $600,000 to One Nation as Pauline Hanson pushes lower taxes for miners', The Guardian, 1 February 2024.
[2] 'Pauline Hanson failed to declare another flight from billionaire Gina Rinehart's company', The Guardian, 3 February 2026.
[3] 'Pauline Hanson skips parliament to speak at conservative conference at Trump's Mar-a-Lago', The Guardian, 6 November 2025.
[4] 'AAC head David Farley given 28% pay rise', The Australian, 12 February 2013.
[5] 'Farming leader likens PM to old cow', Sydney Morning Herald, 4 August 2012.
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GetUp is an independent, not-for-profit community campaigning group. We use technology to empower Australians to have their say on important national issues. We receive no political party or government funding, and every campaign we run is entirely supported by voluntary donations. If you'd like to contribute to help fund GetUp's work, donate now! We collect, store and use personal information and other data as set out in our Privacy Policy. If you do not wish to receive updates to emailnew...@googlegroups.com from us, please unsubscribe.
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Authorised by D. Loasby, GetUp, 285A Crown Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010.
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