Liberals
FARLOW FACTOR: Libs of all ages pull out their surfboards to ride the Rees tsunami
It has become apparent to NSW Liberal Party insiders that current Young Liberal President, Scott Farlow, intends to stand for the Labor held state seat of Drummoyne at the next state election. While Drummoyne is normally considered fairly safe for the Labor Party on a margin of 7.6%, it is winnable at the next election due to NSW Labor’s ongoing poor performance that occasionally prompts Rudd Rage on Prime Ministerial aircraft, even when hot meals are provided.
AGE DISCRIMINATION RAMPANT
The callow yoof Scott Farlow’s intention to run for Drummoyne has created much division and angst among Liberals, many considering him too young and inexperienced to put up his hand at this time. Farlow is 25 years old and locals say he has no connection to the Drummoyne community, only moving to the area a few months ago, carpetbag in hand. One senior party source told VEXNEWS that he was concerned that Farlow “may not be able to lock in support among families, seniors and the large Italian community in the electorate” and that “Scott really has very little to offer to a community as diverse as Drummoyne”.
Scott Farlow is Young Liberal President, but his internal critics say that since assuming command the Young Liberals have become direction-less, poorly led, and prone to in-fighting and scandals. In fact, some expressed disappointment that Farlow chosen taking a 6 week holiday overseas instead of dealing with a looming publicity crisis. The crisis was prompted by VEXNEWS and subsequent media coverage of the Babes of Liberal series of pics on Tim Andrews’s website. Tim obtained the consent of all participants but hadn’t explained to them there might be some media interest, with much of it out of proportion, sanctimonious and hypocritical. But the saga was certainly not the best thing to be associated with and Farlow has not hesitated in defending his chum, Tim Andrews, from those who had retrospective wisdom about the brouhaha. Andrews and Farlow are said to be close and Farlow as a loyal mate has been defending the pics within the Young Liberal Movement and on the NSW Liberal Party State Executive. Farlow critics see it as a “courageous” decision.
ALL POLITICS IS LOCAL
Politically Scott Farlow has struggled to gain any real support for the seat of Drummoyne from either the conservative or the left factions of the party. Party conservatives are worried that Scott Farlow will not be able to empathise with the community and lack trust in his newly wed wife, Penny George, who was until recently in the hard left of the party. Likewise, the left faction of the Liberal Party views Scott as an extreme libertarian who forced a radical, patriotic yet possibly unpopular economic agenda upon the Young Liberals.
With both factions declining to support Scott on the basis of his political views and lack of experience, what limited support does he have? A senior moderate Liberal from the Inner West told VEXNEWS that “Scott has the support of a small emerging splinter of libertarians headed by Federal MP Alex Hawke”. Another source said that Scott Farlow, like his mentor Alex Hawke, “has no real world experience and has never even held a job in any other profession than as a political staffer”… “He is a party hack who has been involved in demoralising branch stacking and hundreds of shabby deals”.
Senior Liberals are worried that if Scott ran for Drummoyne he would lose it, believing that he is too young, too much of a hack with no real experience outside of sleazy backroom politics and has little to offer voters in Drummoyne who are tired of getting all that from Labor . Speculation is now growing that State Liberal Leader Barry O’Farrell will tap the yoof Scott Farlow to run instead for the hard-luck state electorate of Strathfield, where Scott was until recently a local councillor and can boast at least some local cred.
Discussion
67 comments for “FARLOW FACTOR: Libs of all ages pull out their surfboards to ride the Rees tsunami”
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When does Timothy get his rightful seat?
Must he wait for Opus Dei member David Clarke to retire ?
Can his combover ever compete ?
Farlow WILL be the candidate.
He promises we’ll win, he promises he has the numbers but he can’t even control the numbers within his own conference.
He’s sold out every principle, was a conservative,but now a power hungry Libertarian.
He’s lied to us,kept us in the dark and left the right because he thinks he’s born to rule.
Too bad he hasn’t hit hit puberty yet.
What political future will I have if not even the lieutenant of the Ambition faction can get preselected?
It’s all crashing down.
Who the chicky babe? I would love to have a crack at her if she needed a lift home.
Is it true Angela D’Amore is related to Elisabetta D’Amore, former Preston Councillor censured for alleged leaking of information about a Council merger to Theophanous? What does Elisabetta do now?
RDR, you are what is wrong with Victoria.
Did I ever mention that RDR is what is wrong with Victoria?
Can I ask how a former Mayor of a municipality that includes Drummoyne has ‘no connection to the Drummoyne Community’?
Andy, you jeopardise the respectability of this fine publication when you publish the midnight rants of faceless youngsters laden with enemies.
Most of their words are glaringly inaccurate.Stick to the stuff you write. That way, at least we know it’s true.
Lawrence Springborg was elected to parliament when he was 21
Rivers just because you impotent and not partial to skirt.
Paul Keating and Malcolm Fraser both entered Parliament at age 25 (…thanks Annabel Crabb)
Bring in Tim Andrews. He’ll lead the NSW Libs to prosperity.
Ergo, knife, Farlow too is a future Prime Minister.
I’ll drink whatever you’re drinking.
Springborg was is and always will be an electoral liability.
EVERY Labor held seat in the NSW Parliament is vulnerable.
Scott Farlow was Mayor or Strathfield, he should run for the state seat of Strathfield.
Scott Farlow has shamelessly bled money from the Young Liberals to campaign in Drummoyne.
Nothing in any Marginal Federal Electorate and nothing in other Marginal State Electorate.
Not one thing in Miranda, Menai, Wollondilly, Camden, Gosford, The Entrance, Monaro, Londonderry or Coggee.
The only marginal that has seen Young Liberals is Drummoyne
When the whole state is in crisis and there are plenty of marginal seats, this can only be seen as an abuse of power to feather his own nest.
I don’t know scott farlow, but Andy i think we should have this age debate more often. As other comments point out, some of the greatest Australian politicians of our time were elected in their 20’s.
I am a conservative, and my views are very similar to John Howard’s. I find it difficult to understand why the once extreme conservatives Alex Hawke and Scott Farlow are now radical libertarians.
I once met Scott Farlow, this girl called Beky and another called Cat Rafael talking at a Liberal function. I thought that i had accidently walked into the Greens Party Room. They were talking about legalising drugs, gay marriage, and Beky even showed support for Australian open boder migration.
To the the hardworking Christian families of Drummoyne I ask: “do you believe in gay mariage, illegal migration and legalising drugs?”
I’ve been a Young Liberal for years and I think I’ve seen Scott Farlow get up on every motion against the legalisation of drugs and calling for the heroin injecting room to be closed. He is one of the biggest supporters of Howard’s migration policies and he’s never ever supported gay marriage. All these “anonymous” posters are living in fantasy land and if they were in charge the Libs would be heading for Disneyland rather than Parliament House.
As a member of the party for over 5 years, and as someone who lives in the area, it is just too tempting to let the allegations made in this article and the ensuing comments stand. Firstly, to the person who wrote this article, I am disappointed. You obviously know very little about Scott or the electorate. Whenever you want to run for a seat, your ignorance will get the better of you.
For those of you who are unaware, Scott actually was born and raised in Drummoyne on Henley Marine Drive (aka where the bay walk/run is). It only seems natural that, once completing university studies and in a professional role earning money, he would relocate back to the area he grew up in and is familiar with.
Also, this idea that Strathfield mayors have nothing to do with the Drummoyne area is absolutely ridiculous! The electorate encompasses many suburbs that are part of the Strathfield municipality -in fact, Strathfield itself is part of the seat! If anything, Scott’s successful term as mayor and his stature in the local community would only bolster his profile and make him the strongest liberal candidate around to take on D’Amore.
As someone who has lived in the area for over a decade, I can tell you that Drummoyne has changed. No longer is it a stereotypical Italian dominated community -more and more young professionals and couples are moving to the area because of its proximity to the city. The area needs someone who can relate to these segments of the electorate -and Scott, as someone who has a university education and works in the private sector, can take on the job.
Whoever wrote this drivel likes to embellish things -the 6 week holiday they were referring to was Scott’s 3 week honeymoon. I think it’s downright disgusting and a cheap political stunt to misrepresent Scott like that. He and Penny have loved each other for years, and their marriage should be open for comment or criticism.
On a final note to one of the last posters, Scott has never endorsed gay marriage, open borders or legalising drugs. Quite the contrary. You only need to look at previous Young Liberal Council motions to see Scott’s comments on these issues -he has always been vehemently opposed to any of those things.
This entire tawdry article and the people behind it should hang their heads in shame. We’re meant to be helping each other to win the 2011 election, yet all you are concerned with are yourselves.
What do you do when the telegraph is so sick of you they won’t print your defamatory self-serving stories? You go to Landeryou! Woohoo. Surfs up!
I have a position for the young lady in Town Hall, entertaining Little Fatty :/
Good to hear from you, my dear Fatty Doyle, the dearest of all dear fatties.
It’s a state seat, who cares. Furthermore if an O’Farrell government just scrapes over the line, chances are he won’t.
liberallocal, cry me a river.
Looks like Scott Farlow’s Goons have finally showed up and started defacing the page. They must of been busy witchhunting conservatives and burning club constitutions on uni campuses.
My question is for the hacks who joined Scott Farlow’s Ambition Faction.
What will happen, when you can’t cash all the cheques that Hawke and Farlow have written. They will use you and leave you. And then you will have time to write a book “Living my Australia’s Wilderness”.
I know that one of you is already hegding.
Catriona Raphael doesn’t vote Liberal.
Her preferences have always flowed to either Democrats or Greens.
These people are white-ants in the Liberal Party.
They should be expunged without mercy.
And don’t forget calling out Nick Campbell.
Those three, Alex Hawke, Nick Campbell and Scott Farlow, are tearing the party apart to increase their personal power.
THE GOON (Alex Hawke)
THE BAD (Nick Campbell)
AND THE UGLY (Scott Farlow)
of the NSW Liberals.
And here we go again, with Anonymous (June 10, 18:10) and “Henry” (be careful, else your spring is sprung, from what lofty computers you lurk in State Parliament), like donkeys, bleating their charismatically stupid hee-haws. Clearly the Liberal ideals of libertarianism are lost on the conservatives of the party; more’s the pity, really, as the bansk fo your position erodes further and further.
Mr. Landeryou, doing your own fact-checking might do you a whole lot of good, rather than relying on snakes whispering on your ear.
Cat,
Yes or No
Do you support Gay Marriage?
Do you support open borders?
Do you support legalising drugs?
Do you support Alex Hawke and Scott Farlow and do they support you?
Just because Alex Hawke and Scott Farlow don’t stand up for their Libertarian Values doesn’t mean they can’t get others to do their dirty work.
In the words of Alex Hawke of old “If people want to legalise drug-injecting rooms, lower the age of consent, go with all these trendy things, this is not the party that believes in those things. We’re not that broad.”
From what I’ve heard he wouldn’t say anything like that these days. How things change.
Hey, I’ve always been open with my opinions, but if you need clarification:
- Gay marriage I support in a civil sense (given marriage is not, and never was, purely a religious institution). Religious institutions can marry whomever hr heck they choose to (or not), but the state has no right to regulate its marriages as purely heterosexual like it currently is. Gay adoption? Sure! Should we stop discriminating against people over their sexual orientation and what they do with it? Sure! Is it none of our business? Sure!
- Open borders I am undecided over largely because I think the country is approaching its carrying capacity, and ANY kind of extreme population growth is unwise. But in principle, yes.
- Legalisation of drugs? Yep. Prohibition doesn’t work. Legalise, regulate, tax like cigarettes and alcohol, and watch the use rates and related crime rates plummet. Science backs me up, too. Individual responsibility; it’s up to them. That’s a Liberal ideal right there.
- They’re my homies. No, no idea if they support me, friend. Don’t especially care. Avante guarde!
It’s funny, you know. Even in factions of factions and strains of political thought, there are degrees and spectra and disagreements. Shock! Yes, I’m a libertarian, and the Liberal Party ideals resonate more truthfully in that, I believe, than in conservatism. Shock! Do my friends care that that is my opinion? No! Shock!
Anything else?
I find it hilarious that Cat Rafael has just confirmed the very basis of this article, that she, Alex Hawke and Scott Farlow all support, to quote her “Liberal ideals of libertarianism”.
You don’t join the Liberals to be socially left-wing, and if Hawke, Farlow and Cat Rafael don’t support true Howard Conservative ideology then i suppose they shouldn’t be in the Liberal Party at all, perhaps they should all sign up to the LDP or Democrats, i’ve heard that they need more members anyway.
I don’t speak for them. I speak for me, Anonymous (how quaint to hide behind it). You join the Liberal party for its Liberal ideals and values, listed as plain as day.
Sorry mate, I’m here to stay.
Scott Farlow was my local Councillor.I have heard that he has recently moved out of my local community to live in Drummoyne. He should come back to live in Strathfield and run for his local state seat of Strathfield… it seems that Barry O’Farrell wants that too.
Please don’t neglect your constituency Scott.
I’m a fan of the old Alex Hawke that actually stood for things and talked about important issues like Abortion and other tough issues. I don’t care much for this new Alex – SELL OUT – Hawke.
Look at what he has said before his election
Yet he supports banning late-term abortions and Medicare-subsidised terminations. “I’m for human rights. These unborn children aren’t able to defend themselves,” http://blogs.smh.com.au/radar/archives/2005/05/rebel_rebel.html
Hawke thinks Australia will move increasingly towards an American model of conservatism. “The two greatest forces for good in human history are capitalism and Christianity, and when they’re blended it’s a very powerful duo.” http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/a-young-gun-doing-the-right-thing/2007/06/22/1182019367511.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap2
“Do I inject my religion into my politics? No, but my religion guides the values and the ethics of the things I do.”
“abortion is not going to be off the agenda” “It’s going to be back, probably bigger and better.”
http://www.themonthly.com.au/tm/node/46
Then after his election
http://www.openaustralia.org/search/?s=abortion&pid=10290
http://www.openaustralia.org/search/?s=christanity&pid=10290
Nothing about Abortion
nothing about Christanity
He’s now just some Libertarian trying out to destroy those who got him where he is for more power for himself. He took on the left in the Liberals. Just to become the new ‘group’.
So what some people called him extreme in his conservatism. Now he’s just extreme in his ambition.
You can try and deny the past of what you have said because you want power but its on the internet and always will be.
I’m a fan of the old Alex Hawke that actually stood for things and talked about important issues like Abortion and other tough issues. I don’t care much for this new Alex – SELL OUT – Hawke.
Look at what he has said before his election
Yet he supports banning late-term abortions and Medicare-subsidised terminations. “I’m for human rights. These unborn children aren’t able to defend themselves,” http://blogs.smh.com.au/radar/archives/2005/05/rebel_rebel.html
Hawke thinks Australia will move increasingly towards an American model of conservatism. “The two greatest forces for good in human history are capitalism and Christianity, and when they’re blended it’s a very powerful duo.” http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/a-young-gun-doing-the-right-thing/2007/06/22/1182019367511.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap2
“Do I inject my religion into my politics? No, but my religion guides the values and the ethics of the things I do.”
“abortion is not going to be off the agenda” “It’s going to be back, probably bigger and better.”http://www.themonthly.com.au/tm/node/46
Then after his election
http://www.openaustralia.org/search/?s=abortion&pid=10290
http://www.openaustralia.org/search/?s=christanity&pid=10290
Nothing about Abortion
nothing about Christanity
He’s now just some Libertarian trying out to destroy those who got him where he is for more power for himself. He took on the left in the Liberals. Just to become the new ‘group’.
So what some people called him extreme in his conservatism. Now he’s just extreme in his ambition.
You can try and deny the past of what you have said because you want power but its on the internet and always will be.
Whilst this article is colourfully portrayed, I want to draw out a few undeniable facts in an unbiased fashion:
1. Scott is only 25
2. Until a few months ago Scott lived in Strathfield
3. Scott just moved to Drummoyne
4. Scott was a Councillor on Strathfield City Council
5. Scott’s wife Penny was in the Left of the Party
6. Scott has strongly indicated to many Liberals that he is seeking pre-selection for Drummoyne
7. Scott has been a political staffer and party hack for at least the last 4 years.
8. Scott is very close to Alex Hawke and Tim Andrews.
9. Scott’s leadership over the Young Liberals has been questionable.
10. Scott has promoted extreme libertarians in the Young Liberals.
11. Scott is not socially conservative
12. Scott does not have the support of the right wing or Left wing of the party to run for Drummoyne.
13. Scott does not have the support of Barry O’Farrell to run for Drummoyne.
14. Barry O’Farrell wants Scott to instead run for Strathfield where Scott was a councillor.
I believe that these statements are facts and I have not used spin or bias to portray them. Therefore putting the colourful biased language in the article aside, many of the claims are actually true.
I’ve been made aware that the Young Liberals haven’t had a council since March and who knows whether they will have one soon.
It looks a lot like the Panic the group where in when they knew they were loosing power.
This is despite section 15.4.1 of the Liberal Constitution saying “Young Liberal Council must meet once every month where practicable.”
The only thing not practical about it for Scott Farlow is he would have to answer questions about his waste of money in Drummoyne.
Not to mention that his “right” hand man Sasha Uher would have to answer some tough questions
Now we wouldn’t want to put Sasha on the spot and make her think for herself would we.
You didn’t trust her then and you don’t trust her now.
Shame we all worked so hard to get the Right in the Young Liberals and this is what we get.
I think we’ll start seeing again some of the old faces that delivered the YLs and Pre-selections.
Some heads will roll soon.
Landeryou, you shouldn’t post everything that people send you. I’ve always enjoyed your blog and your commitment to printing the facts that no one else will (albeit exagerated at times), but in this case you really should have done your homework. Scott is hardly a Libertarian. Is he a hard right Catholic conservative? No. But neither are the majority of Australians. If you look at his track record of motions he’s voted for/against and what he’s spoken on publically and privately you would discover he is far from being a radical Libertarian like this article suggests. Please start fact checking before posting, before you further damage your credibility or anyone elses for that matter.
Not so long after my last posting we get a “post budget campaign event” without any locations, a Young Liberal council without a venue and looks a like magazine is on the way.
The only thing that looks organised is the Boardroom series which isn’t organised by Farlow.
If they didn’t want to look panicked they’ve certainly failed!
If you want to get something done I guess you need to come onto Vexnews.
Hey Mitchell Watcher,
It seems only the fear of God will get these people to do something seemingly constructive. Problem is, whatever they get their hands on turns to chickenshit.
The old YL bulletin “Dialogue” is a case in point – now they’ve resurrected “Action Magazine”. I wonder if it will just be a collection of advertisements like it was under the Group… quite possibly, I mean, these people don’t believe in anything, what on Earth are they going to write about???
Another interesting point: Catriona is no longer denying that she’s never voted Liberal, lol !
Another interesting point: “Henry” is still posting.
Gosh, you’re amusing. Please continue.
The Goon, the Bad and the Ugly. I like that Clint.
I have greater respect for the real lefties, who stuck with their faction, even when it was going down. These Sashas and Scotts joined/switched to the Right for personal ambition, mimicing their collegues, and then splitting when a seemingly better deal appears – singing a new tune.
Scott Farlow is now doing deals with the Left over preselections!! FACT
Now, how Right is that!
Howard fan – how right you are. Some of these people change their policy views quicker than the wind can change, sensing popular opinion and fitting into the mould. I’ve heard switching to the Monarchist camp, bandwagoning with Christian Groups, and tokenistic support for Israel are some of their preferred options.
It takes courage to stick to your values, something which these Powerhungries seem to lack.
the next Premier for NSW should be Allan Shearan MP for Londonderry.
Any MP who looks like a werewolf should be the top dog.
I think this is unfair on Scott.
He’s one of the most compassionate Conservatives currently in the Party, he understands pragmatism and cares for issues such as the environment and equality. He realises that these matter more than impossible fights like abortion and gay marriage.
He’s done a fantastic leading the Movement, especially with the flying squad in Ryde and Drummoyne.
Compassionate conservative? Soft-cock liberal more like it. We fought those lefties for years so we could be true conservatives voices in the Party not “pragmatic” selling out on climate change alarmism and social engineering “equality” or ignoring the mass murder of abortion.
He’s spent all his time working for a lefty in Ryde, then Scott’s amibition in Drummoyne, and we haven’t had council for months.
Now I know why Scott’s been draining young libs money on a bridge nobody gives a rat’s arse about.
Scott if you want to be a serious politician start campaigning for some stuff that the liberal party base wants (not just a couple of hundred ppl who live on Victoria Rd Drummoyne) like privatising lotteries, power plans or putting school results into league tables (woops they’re the things that fat arse Barry’s voted against).
Maybe we shouldnt be so hard on Farlow, after all he is just a puppet of Hawkie, just as sasha is a puppet of scott. i wonder if they will condemn barrys recent actions in opposing privatisation of Lotto and school tables or the federal backflip on alcopops.
And no way are these people compassionate conservatives – they are trendy liberals swinging whichever way popularism is blowing, both inside and outside the party.
the dumb thing is, they actually think that barry or malcolm will reward them, what idiots
http://www.ldp.org.au/
Here’s the link for the LDP. For Scott, Catriona and Alex Hawke’s benefit I had a look through their policy the LDP supports:
* drug legalisation
* gay marriage
* open borders (tentatively)
So what are you all waiting for? Their ideology seems to exactly match yours and you won’t have those pesky conservatives bothering you too there.
I’d also imagine that in Scott’s case getting LDP preselection for Drummoyne would be rather easy when compared with the Liberals.
This Scott Farlow seems to be very good at not making friends. What a leader!
You’d better watch out Scott – once I started going all libertarian on the liberals the conservatives made short work of me.
HINT: Calling the premiers wife a mail order bride is never a good idea.
Farlow:
- uneducated
- inexperienced
- blow-in
- brown nose
- waste of time
Fuck off
Farlow:
-uneducated
-limpdick
-brown nose
-blow in
-stands for nothing, except himself
F… off
Now farlow is chairing meetings and illegally recording them to then leak to the press.
He has no shame!
Selfish
Covetous
Out of work
Tight-arse
Troubled
Fat
Artirficial
Rapacious
Lazy
Obnoxious
Worthless
Catriona,
As a member of the party for 20 years, and having seen your kind come and go, I can assure you that no matter how hard you try to convince yourself that you can change the party into one of sniveling libertarianism, it just won’t happen.
A lack of understanding of what the Liberal party stands for is hardly proof that it stands for what you want it to.
I have always had pity for poor, simple village idiots like yourself, however your entertainment value is quickly waning.
Also, I’ve seen Alex and Nick chew up and swallow far better operators that the likes of yourself, Farlow, Fontana and that poor excuse for a human being Houston. You are all but cannon fodder in Chairman Nick’s grand plan for subversive control and The Pied Piper of Mitchell would trade his own mother for pre-selection.
So my dear simple girl, either wake up to yourself or go away.
In Verbum Nostrum Veritas.
David Clarke and his compatriots fought The Group for years. People like Sam Witheridge, Ted Pickering, Ron Phillips and The Hon Don. Does anybody really think that Alex and his kids are really a threat?
In Verbum Nostrum Veritas.
Agustus, you are living proof of the motto:
Caeci caecos ducentes.
On the contrary oh cowardly anon, I see quite clearly.
Hawke’s boys know they’ve bitten off more than they can chew and are fighting a battle they have no hope of ever winning.
It’s funny that they’ve accused the true conservatives of being facists when it seems that Hawke, Farlow and Campbell are acting like paranoid dictators intent on crushing dissent and marginalising their opposition.
First they try and block members joining out of area branches, then they introduced their policy to block members speaking out on internal issues, then came the infamous “Mugabe Clause” whereby it is now much harder to boot out the exec of a branch and members preselected by a branch can be overuled by the state exec.
Now in true fascist style they’ve crossed another ethical bridge and are resorting to violence to contain the resistance from their factional foes.
Well done ambition faction. Robert Mugabe would be pround.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25971690-2702,00.html
Not even Hawke wants to give Farlow a seat now. He was used to rid the YLs of the conservatives, and now with his name MUD, he will be drop-kicked back into Hacktown.
Sad sad bastard. Feel sorry for him – ALMOST.
Scott works for me now.
“Idle hands are the devils work,”
- Scott is currently between jobs.