In Short

• Major Funding Boost: Independent candidate Michelle Milthorpe has received a $60,000 donation from the Regional Voices Fund to kickstart her Farrer by-election campaign.
• The by-election follows the sudden retirement of long-serving Liberal member Sussan Ley, following her leadership defeat by Angus Taylor.
• For the first time in 25 years, the National Party is expected to contest the seat against their Liberal partners, creating a crowded and unpredictable field.

Aspiring candidate Michelle Milthorpe’s campaign for the federal seat of Farrer has received a significant injection of capital, with the Regional Voices Fund announcing a $60,000 donation to support Ms Milthorpe’s efforts.

The funding is intended to kickstart Milthorpe’s bid to claim the seat following the recent retirement of former Liberal leader Sussan Ley.

The Regional Voices Fund, an organisation dedicated to supporting independent representation in rural and remote electorates, stated that the contribution reinforces its commitment to community-backed leadership.

Dr Lorraine Gordon, Chair of the Regional Voices Fund, said the decision to back Milthorpe was rooted in the candidate's deep ties to the electorate and her performance in the 2025 federal election.

"Michelle Milthorpe embodies the integrity, courage, and deep community connection that regional Australia needs in federal parliament," Dr Gordon said. "She is across the issues that the people of Farrer are facing on a daily basis. She is someone who will do the hard yards to improve the communities of Farrer."

Dr Gordon noted that Milthorpe’s previous campaign demonstrated a clear appetite for change within the south-western New South Wales electorate.

"The strength of Michelle’s 2025 campaign... demonstrated substantive support for change in the Farrer community and the likelihood that she will be even more competitive at this by-election if given equal financial support as the major parties," she added.

Guided by principles of evidence-based policy and active listening, the Regional Voices Fund aims to foster a "thriving and prosperous" regional Australia.

The organisation views the upcoming contest as a pivotal moment for Farrer to shift toward more inclusive, community-centred representation.

Ms Milthorpe, has welcomed the generous support of the Regional Voices Group, describing it as another sign of growing community momentum behind her campaign.

“I welcome their support,” Mrs Milthorpe said. “The Regional Voices Group is a crowdfunded organisation that enables many people to contribute small amounts to create a big impact. At a time when people across our region are doing it tough, that model of participation really matters.”

Mrs Milthorpe said community-backed funding helps ensure local voices can compete in a political environment traditionally dominated by major parties and large institutional donors.

“At the last election, I also welcomed the support of Climate 200 and its more than 33,000 donors, including people from Farrer and right across the country, and I welcome that support again,” she said.

“These donations helped level the playing field against major parties backed by large donations from mining companies, lobby groups, the financial sector and gambling interests. It would be great to see the parties brought under the same scrutiny as I was regarding campaign funding.

“This by-election is too important to be distracted by dirty tricks from the major parties. Our community deserves a serious conversation about the issues that matter — cost of living pressures, access to health care, childcare shortages and support for our ageing population.”

The Farrer By-Election: What You Need to Know

The upcoming by-election for the seat of Farrer was triggered by the sudden retirement of Sussan Ley, who served as the local member for 25 years.

Ley announced her departure from politics in February 2026 following a Liberal Party leadership spill in which she was defeated by Angus Taylor.

The Stakes and the Field:

• The Liberal Party: Historically a safe stronghold, the party now faces a significant test under the new leadership of Angus Taylor. They will be fighting to retain the seat against both an invigorated independent movement and a challenge from their Coalition partner.
• The National Party: Under the Coalition agreement, the Nationals do not typically contest seats held by sitting Liberal members. With the seat now vacant, the Nationals have confirmed they will run a candidate.
• Michelle Milthorpe (Independent): Having finished second to Ley in the 2025 election with a significant swing in her favour, Milthorpe is running on a platform of "finishing what we started." She is campaigning heavily on local infrastructure, healthcare—specifically the Albury-Wodonga hospital redevelopment—and regional water management.
• Other Contenders: One Nation and Family First have confirmed they will field candidates, while the Labor Party has indicated it may sit out the contest.

The by-election date is yet to be formally announced by the Speaker of the House, but campaigning is already well underway across the vast electorate.