Scott Farlow

The Honourable Scott Farlow MLC
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council
Incumbent
Assumed office 28 March 2015
Mayor of the Municipality of Strathfield
In office 2007–2008
Preceded by	Bill Carney
Succeeded by	Paul Barron
Personal details
Political party	Liberal Party of Australia

Scott Glynn Farlow MLC is an Australian politician. He has been a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council since the 2015 NSW state election, representing the Liberal Party of Australia.

Farlow is currently the youngest serving Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council. He previously served as Mayor of the Municipality of Strathfield,^[1] elected to the position at just 23 years of age.

Farlow is married to Penny George-Farlow who together have one son, Christian Farlow.

Early life

Farlow grew up in Sydney’s Inner Western suburbs. He was the first member of his family to study at university, graduating with degrees in Law and Commerce from the University of Sydney. He later graduated from the College of Law with a Diploma of Legal Practice.

Farlow got his start in politics by joining the Sydney University Liberal Club, becoming a member of the Liberal Party soon after. He became active in the Young Liberal Movement of NSW and in 2008 was elected president of the organisation, going on to become its longest-serving president.^[2]

In 2004 Farlow was elected to Strathfield City Council and became mayor in 2007. At the age of 23, Farlow was the youngest mayor in Australia at that time.

During and in the lead-up to the 2007 NSW election Farlow worked as an advisor to NSW Opposition Leader Peter Debnam and afterwards advised Shadow Attorney General Greg Smith.

Farlow has also worked as an analyst and strategic advisor for firms such as Deloitte and Hill and Knowlton.

Political career

Farlow was preselected by the Liberal Party to run as a candidate for the NSW Legislative Council at the March 2015 Election. He was subsequently elected and is serving an eight-year term set to expire in 2023.

In May 2015 he was appointed Chair of the Legislative Council Standing Committee on Law and Justice.

In Farlow's inaugural speech to the NSW Parliament he highlighted increasing efficiency and transparency in government expenditure as one of his priority policy areas. He also spoke on the need to restore state rights in order to counter the issue of vertical fiscal imbalance and to restore competitive federalism.

References