Patrick Farmer
Encyclopedia
Patrick Francis Daniel "Pat" Farmer (born 14 March 1962), an ultra-marathon athlete, motivational speaker, and former Australia
n politician
, was a Member of the Australian House of Representatives
, representing the seat of Macarthur
in south-west Sydney, New South Wales from 2001 to 2010, as a member of the Liberal Party
., Farmer has an established reputation in international and national ultra-marathons. In April 2011, Farmer embarked on the world's longest ultra-marathon, "Pole to Pole Run" from the North Pole to the South Pole.
, one of seven children to Mary and Frank Farmer and grew up in Sydney’s western suburbs, starting his working life as a motor mechanic (1977–1984) after attending Granville
TAFE.
Between 1984 to 2000, Farmer commenced his passion of ultra-marathon running whilst working with his brother Tony as a landscape gardener and later as a motivational speaker. In 1992, he married Lisa Bullivant and they bought land in Catherine Field, where they began building their family home. They went on to have two children, Brooke and Dillon. In 1998, Lisa, aged 34, died unexpectedly of Mitral Valve Prolapse and Farmer was left to raise his two children on his own.
During this period, Farmer set a number of ultra-marathon Australian and world records, which placed him in the elite of the sport. Before joining politics in 2001, he raised over $3 million for Diabetes Australia, Lifeline, Careflight International
and the Westmead Millennium Institute for Medical Research
. Farmer is perhaps best known for his record breaking 14,964 km Centenary of Federation run around all of Australia in 1999, taking 191 days.These records were never ratified and are still held by Gary Parsons of Queensland. This event raised considerable funds for charity. He was named Achiever of the Year at the Australian of the Year
Awards 2000, presented by Prime Minister John Howard
.
During his time in Parliament, Farmer served on a range of House of Representatives committees including: Education and Training from 26 September 2002 to 31 August 2004; Communications, Information Technology and the Arts from 4 November 2003 to 31 August 2004. On 26 October 2004 he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education, Science and Training (with special responsibility for Western Sydney).
Farmer suffered a 10.43 percent swing against him at the 2007 federal election, in which the Howard Government
lost to Kevin Rudd
's Australian Labor Party
. Farmer retained his seat with a margin of 0.7 percent. After the election he was appointed the Shadow Minister for Youth and Sport.
In January 2008 he moved to Mosman
against the advice of then Liberal Party leader Brendan Nelson
, but stated that it would not affect his ability to represent his electorate in the city's western suburbs. On 22 September he was dropped from the shadow ministry by the newly-elected
opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull
. In August 2009 Farmer was reported to be considering standing for the New South Wales Parliament
after a redistribution made it difficult for him to retain his seat in the Federal Parliament.
In a Liberal Party preselection ballot for Macarthur, held on 30 October 2009, Farmer was defeated by Russell Matheson
and retired from politics at the 2010 federal election.
100 million for clean water programs for Red Cross International. Farmer departed the North Pole on Friday 8 April 2011 and as at 22 June 2011 he had run to Washington, District of Columbia, in the United States of America.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, was a Member of the Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
, representing the seat of Macarthur
Division of Macarthur
The Division of Macarthur is an Australia Federal electoral division covering outer south-west Sydney. Its present boundaries cover the southern suburbs of Campbelltown, all of the local government area of Camden and small parts of Wollondilly. It covers 537 km² and is named after John...
in south-west Sydney, New South Wales from 2001 to 2010, as a member of the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
., Farmer has an established reputation in international and national ultra-marathons. In April 2011, Farmer embarked on the world's longest ultra-marathon, "Pole to Pole Run" from the North Pole to the South Pole.
Biography
Farmer was born in Ultimo, New South WalesUltimo, New South Wales
Ultimo is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Ultimo is located 2 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Sydney....
, one of seven children to Mary and Frank Farmer and grew up in Sydney’s western suburbs, starting his working life as a motor mechanic (1977–1984) after attending Granville
Granville, New South Wales
Granville, is a suburb in western Sydney, Australia. Granville is located west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Parramatta. A small part in the north-west is located in the Local Government Area of the City of Holroyd.South Granville is a...
TAFE.
Between 1984 to 2000, Farmer commenced his passion of ultra-marathon running whilst working with his brother Tony as a landscape gardener and later as a motivational speaker. In 1992, he married Lisa Bullivant and they bought land in Catherine Field, where they began building their family home. They went on to have two children, Brooke and Dillon. In 1998, Lisa, aged 34, died unexpectedly of Mitral Valve Prolapse and Farmer was left to raise his two children on his own.
During this period, Farmer set a number of ultra-marathon Australian and world records, which placed him in the elite of the sport. Before joining politics in 2001, he raised over $3 million for Diabetes Australia, Lifeline, Careflight International
CareFlight International Air Ambulance
CareFlight International Air Ambulance is an Australian registered charity that operates air ambulances and specialist medical teams to patients anywhere in the world. The organisation was incorporated in 1986 when its first helicopter, a Squirrel AS350B was commissioned...
and the Westmead Millennium Institute for Medical Research
Westmead Millennium Institute for Medical Research
The Westmead Millennium Institute for Medical Research is a large medical research institute located at Westmead in Sydney's western suburbs. The Institute is closely affiliated with The University of Sydney and Westmead Hospital and comprises approximately 450 medical research and support staff...
. Farmer is perhaps best known for his record breaking 14,964 km Centenary of Federation run around all of Australia in 1999, taking 191 days.These records were never ratified and are still held by Gary Parsons of Queensland. This event raised considerable funds for charity. He was named Achiever of the Year at the Australian of the Year
Australian of the Year
Since 1960 the Australian of the Year Award has been part of the celebrations surrounding Australia Day , during which time the award has grown steadily in significance to become Australia’s pre-eminent award. The Australian of the Year announcement has become a very prominent part of the annual...
Awards 2000, presented by Prime Minister John Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
.
Political career
Following his ultra-marathon, Farmer was approached by Howard in 2000 and encouraged Farmer to seek endorsement for the seat Macarthur. Farmer was elected the Member for Macarthur as a member of the Liberal Party at the 2001 Federal election. He was returned in 2004 with an increased margin.During his time in Parliament, Farmer served on a range of House of Representatives committees including: Education and Training from 26 September 2002 to 31 August 2004; Communications, Information Technology and the Arts from 4 November 2003 to 31 August 2004. On 26 October 2004 he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education, Science and Training (with special responsibility for Western Sydney).
Farmer suffered a 10.43 percent swing against him at the 2007 federal election, in which the Howard Government
Howard Government
The Howard Government refers to the federal Executive Government of Australia led by Prime Minister John Howard. It was made up of members of the Liberal–National Coalition, which won a majority of seats in the Australian House of Representatives at four successive elections. The Howard Government...
lost to Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
's Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
. Farmer retained his seat with a margin of 0.7 percent. After the election he was appointed the Shadow Minister for Youth and Sport.
In January 2008 he moved to Mosman
Mosman, New South Wales
Mosman is a suburb on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Mosman is located 8 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Municipality of Mosman.-Localities:In February...
against the advice of then Liberal Party leader Brendan Nelson
Brendan Nelson
Dr Brendan John Nelson is a former Australian politician and former federal Opposition leader. He served as a member of the Australian House of Representatives from the 1996 federal election until 19 October 2009 as the Liberal member for Bradfield, a northern Sydney seat...
, but stated that it would not affect his ability to represent his electorate in the city's western suburbs. On 22 September he was dropped from the shadow ministry by the newly-elected
Liberal Party of Australia leadership election, 2008
An election for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Australia was held on 16 September 2008. The successful candidate was Malcolm Turnbull who defeated former leader Brendan Nelson...
opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull
Malcolm Turnbull
Malcolm Bligh Turnbull is an Australian politician. He has been a member of the Australian House of Representatives since 2004, and was Leader of the Opposition and parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party from 16 September 2008 to 1 December 2009.Turnbull has represented the Division...
. In August 2009 Farmer was reported to be considering standing for the New South Wales Parliament
Parliaments of the Australian states and territories
The Parliaments of the Australian states and territories are legislative bodies within the federal framework of the Commonwealth of Australia. Before the formation of the Commonwealth in 1901, the six Australian colonies were self-governing, with parliaments which had come into existence at various...
after a redistribution made it difficult for him to retain his seat in the Federal Parliament.
In a Liberal Party preselection ballot for Macarthur, held on 30 October 2009, Farmer was defeated by Russell Matheson
Russell Matheson
Russell Glenn Matheson , an Australian federal politician, is a Member of the Australian House of Representatives for the seat of Macarthur representing the Liberal Party of Australia, elected at the 2010 federal election...
and retired from politics at the 2010 federal election.
Pole to Pole Run
In his valedictory speech to Parliament on 23 June 2010, Pat Farmer formally announced his long held goal of running from the North Pole to the South Pole, covering some 21,000 km, in order to raise A$Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
100 million for clean water programs for Red Cross International. Farmer departed the North Pole on Friday 8 April 2011 and as at 22 June 2011 he had run to Washington, District of Columbia, in the United States of America.