Pauline Hanson’s One Nation has chosen David Farley as their candidate in the by-election for Sussan Ley’s 25-year seat in Farrer, happening on 9 May.
Farley, 69, is a Narrandera-base irrigator known for making misogynistic comments in 2012 towards former Prime Minister Julia Guillard, where he likened her to a ‘non-productive old cow’.
The head of one of Australia’s largest agricultural companies at the time, Farley was speaking at an Adelaide event when he made the comments, later insisting they were “tongue in cheek” and taken out of context.
“This plant is designed to process old cows,” Farley had said, in reference to Australian Agricultural Company’s plans to build an abattoir near Darwin that would specialise in killing older cows for cheap meat as a way of adding value for farmers when the cattle are no longer productive.
”So the old cows that become non-productive, instead of making a decision to either let her die in the paddock or put her in the truck … this gives us a chance to take non-productive animals off and put them through the processing system,” Farley said.
”So it’s designed for non-productive old cows – Julia Gillard’s got to watch out.”
The remark was met with sustained laughter from the crowd, according to a report from InDaily.
As Australia’s first female prime minister from 2010 to 2013, Guillard faced repeated sexist commentary during her time leading the nation, including the notorious “ditch the witch” signs outside Parliament House from Coalition figures. Guillard’s misogyny speech towards then opposition leader, Tony Abbott is also referenced as one of the most unforgettable speeches in Australian history.
In response to Farley’s misogyny in 2012, Hanson defended him as her candidate on Sunday, telling Guardian Australia that his comments were “mild” compared to what the agriculture industry felt at the time.
“Get over it. This is a country with serious issues on our plate and journalists want to trawl through 14-year-old, tongue-in-cheek comments?” Hanson said. “I fully back David Farley and his comments.”
Meanwhile, Liberal shadow minister for women, Melissa McIntosh told Guardian Australia, Farley’s comments were “inappropriate” and that it’s up to him to “clarify those remarks.”
At the time of Farley’s comments, then Minister for the Status of Women, Julie Collins strongly condemned them as “appalling and totally unacceptable”.
“They amount to destructive prejudices long past their use-by date in our modern, diverse society,” she said. ”Mr Farley and those who laughed along with him should take a good, long, hard look at themselves.”