SYDNEY, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) projected that the far-right populist One Nation party won a by-election on Saturday, marking the first time the party has won a lower house seat in Australia's federal parliament.

David Farley, a former agribusiness executive, becomes the first One Nation candidate ever elected to the House of Representatives, the ABC reported.

David Farley beat independent Michelle Milthorpe in the closely watched race to fill the seat of Farrer, a rural, agricultural area in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW).

He is also the first member for Farrer who does not represent either the Liberal Party or the National Party, the ABC said, adding the Liberals have failed to hold on to the vast rural NSW seat of their former leader Sussan Ley.

Ley resigned from parliament in February after being defeated in a leadership challenge. ■