The Nationals leader, David Littleproud, has confirmed the junior Coalition partner plans to contest the upcoming byelection in Farrer, where former Liberal leader Sussan Ley is preparing to retire.

Before Ley won the rural NSW seat in 2001, Farrer was held by former Nationals leader Tim Fischer, who first won it in 1984.

Littleproud told Sky News that both the Nationals and the Liberals would run. A One Nation candidate and a teal independent, Michelle Milthorpe, are also set to run.

A Deeper Look

“The NSW National party made a decision at an executive meeting on Saturday to run a candidate,” Littleproud said.

They’ve opened nominations, but we’ll be working as a team. We want to see a Coalition candidate get up.

Littleproud said the Liberals and Nationals would send preferences to each other.

That gives us protection and allows choice within the Coalition. We only do this in transition seats. There’s usually a transition when there’s incumbency, and we respect that.

Two new measles cases have been identified in Sydney, with one visiting healthcare facilities while unknowingly infectious.

Health authorities have urged residents in the city’s inner west to watch for symptoms, after Concord Hospital, Ryde emergency department and Ryde urgent care clinic were revealed as sites of possible exposure.

The two cases were not known to each other but were linked to an earlier patient who caught the disease while travelling in south-east Asia, where measles outbreaks are ongoing, according to NSW Health.

Implications and Outlook

The long-term effects of these developments are yet to be fully understood, but stakeholders are watching closely. The situation remains fluid, with potential for significant impact on the sector and the wider community.