Barry Robert O'Farrell (born 24 May 1959) is an Australian former politician who was Australia's High Commissioner to India and non-resident Ambassador to Bhutan from February 2020 to 30 June 2023. O'Farrell was the 43rd Premier of New South Wales and Minister for Western Sydney from 2011 to 2014. He was the Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party from 2007 to 2014, and was a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1995 to 2015, representing Northcott until 1999 and representing Ku-ring-gai on the Upper North Shore of Sydney from 1999 to 2015. He was President and Independent Board Chair of Diabetes Australia, Chair of the Wests Tigers Rugby League Football Club and CEO of Racing Australia Ltd until taking up his role in India.
Born in Melbourne, his father's Army career saw O'Farrell and his family move around Australia, ending up in Darwin in the Northern Territory. In 1977 O'Farrell moved to Canberra to study at the Australian National University, where he gained a Bachelor of Arts. O'Farrell started his career as a graduate trainee in the Australian Public Service in Canberra. O'Farrell served as the State Director of the party in New South Wales from 1992 to 1995.
At the 1995 New South Wales election, O'Farrell was elected to the safe Liberal seat of Northcott in northern Sydney. Following the seat's abolition in the 1998 redistribution he secured selection for the equally safe seat of Ku-ring-gai in 1999 and held it until 2015. O'Farrell joined the Shadow Ministry in 1998 and served two periods as Deputy Leader (1999–2002 and 2003–2007). Following the Liberal-Nationals' defeat at the 2007 state election (their fourth in a row), O'Farrell challenged Peter Debnam for the Liberal leadership. Debnam withdrew from the contest on the day of the ballot and O'Farrell was elected unopposed as the Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party and consequently as Leader of the Opposition. He became Premier in a landslide at the 2011 election, winning the largest majority government in New South Wales history.
On 16 April 2014, O'Farrell announced his intention to resign as party leader and NSW Premier as well as Minister for Western Sydney after misleading a New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) investigation. ICAC subsequently found "that there was no intention on Mr O'Farrell's part to mislead". He formally resigned on 17 April as Liberal Party leader and on 24 November 2014, O'Farrell announced his intention not to stand for re-election at the 2015 NSW election.
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Early life and background
The youngest of three children, Barry Robert O'Farrell was born to Kevin and Mae O'Farrell in the Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, on 24 May 1959. He is descended from Irish immigrants who arrived in Victoria in the 1860s; and his paternal grandfather was an officer in the Victoria Police Force in Ballarat. The O'Farrells moved to Darwin during his adolescence and he finished his high school education at St John's College.
In 1977 O'Farrell began studying at the Australian National University in Canberra, residing at Ursula College. During his second year of study, he was elected President of the Ursula College Student Association. In 1980 he received a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Australian history, politics and Aboriginal studies and has cited Professor Manning Clark and Don Baker as major influences for his continuing interest in Australian history.
After serving as a graduate trainee in the Department of Business and Consumer Affairs, in 1980 O'Farrell joined the Liberal Party and worked in the offices of two South Australian Senators, Tony Messner and Gordon Davidson.
When John Howard became Leader of the Opposition in 1985, his chief of staff, Gerard Henderson, hired O'Farrell as a Sydney-based adviser. In May 1988, O'Farrell was employed as Chief of Staff for Bruce Baird, a cabinet minister in the New South Wales government. Four years later, O'Farrell and Tony Abbott sought appointment as the State Director of the New South Wales Liberal Party. O'Farrell succeeded and he held this position until 1995.
Member of Parliament
In 1994, O'Farrell was preselected to replace former Transport Minister and Deputy Liberal Leader, Bruce Baird, in the safe Liberal seat of Northcott and won the seat on 25 March 1995 at the 1995 election with 60.05% of the primary vote, 68.63% after preferences against Andrew Leigh, the Labor candidate who was elected in 2010 as the federal Member for Fraser.
O'Farrell gave his maiden speech in Parliament on 19 September 1995.
On 14 December 1998, State Opposition Leader Kerry Chikarovski appointed O'Farrell Shadow Minister for Small Business and Information Technology. When his seat of Northcott was abolished in the 1998 redistribution, O'Farrell decided to contest the equally safe seat of Ku-ring-gai, which had been vacated by the sitting member, Stephen O'Doherty, who had moved to contest the seat of Hornsby following the redistribution. O'Farrell represented Northcott until its abolition on 26 March 1999. His transfer bid was successful at the 1999 election, gaining 56.3% of the primary vote and 70.03% after preferences. When Ron Phillips was defeated at the election, thereby vacating the Deputy Leadership, O'Farrell stood for the position and was elected on 31 March 1999, defeating Chris Hartcher by one vote. Chikarovski then appointed him on 19 April 1999 to the senior role of Shadow Minister for Transport, dropping Small Business.
At the 1999 republic referendum, O'Farrell voted against the proposal for Australia to become a republic with a president elected by the Parliament of Australia. In 2007, referring to his vote, O'Farrell stated "I'm not going to buy something that I don't believe is a better deal".
In a further Shadow Cabinet reshuffle on 4 January 2002, O'Farrell lost Information Technology and became Shadow Minister for Innovation. However, when John Brogden deposed Chikarovski as Leader on 28 March 2002, O'Farrell also lost the Deputy Leadership, eleven votes to nine, to Chris Hartcher. O'Farrell was sacked from the shadow ministry but, on 1 September 2002, after six months on the backbench O'Farrell was appointed by Brogden as Shadow Minister for Education and Training and Shadow Special Minister of State.
Following the 2003 state election, O'Farrell was re-elected as the Member for Ku-ring-gai with 71.60% of the two-party vote, O'Farrell successfully contested the deputy's position, replacing Hartcher. Brogden then appointed him on 8 April 2003 as Shadow Minister for Health, dropping his Education portfolio.
Leader of the Opposition (2007–2011)
After the Liberals were defeated in the 2007 state election, O'Farrell announced his intention to challenge Debnam for party leadership. When it was apparent that Debnam did not have enough support to keep his post, he opted not to recontest. This left O'Farrell to take the leadership unopposed, with shadow health minister Jillian Skinner as his deputy. He later appointed himself Shadow Minister for Western Sydney in the Shadow Ministry.
In June 2008, Newspoll reported that O'Farrell led Morris Iemma in the preferred premier stakes.
In 2008, O'Farrell led by-election campaigns in Lakemba, Ryde, and Cabramatta where the Coalition recorded the largest by-election swing against Labor in its history. The Liberals achieved a swing of 22.7% in Cabramatta and 13% in Lakemba. Ryde, once a safe Labor seat, was taken by Liberal Victor Dominello on a swing of 23.1%.
On 2 September 2009, in the wake of the resignation of Labor's John Della Bosca following an affair, O'Farrell introduced a motion of no confidence on the Premier Nathan Rees and the NSW Government. O'Farrell was hoping to push an early election saying that "The job of changing New South Wales for the better needs to start today. The best thing that Nathan Rees could do is to allow the people to have their say through an early election". The motion was put to the house but defeated on party lines. Despite this, all independent members of the Legislative Assembly voted for the motion.
In June 2010, the Liberals' Stuart Ayres won the Penrith by-election with a swing of 25%–at the time, the biggest swing against a sitting government in NSW history. The by-election was caused by the resignation of Karyn Paluzzano after she admitted rorting her electoral mail allowance and lying about it to the ICAC. A jubilant O'Farrell stated, "What we've seen this evening is the Liberal Party win its first seat in Western Sydney in 20 years. It demonstrates once and for all that Labor does not have a lock on Western Sydney."
In August 2010, independent MP and lord mayor of Sydney Clover Moore introduced the Adoption Amendment (Same Sex Couples) Bill as a private member's bill, which, among other things, had the purpose of giving same-sex couples the right to adopt as a couple instead of as individuals. Both O'Farrell and Premier Kristina Keneally allowed a conscience vote on the bill. O'Farrell supported the reforms: "I support this measure today ... for the sake of children but also because I don't believe our society should exclude because of gender, sexuality, faith, background or some other factor, people who have a contribution they can make... That's not the free and confident society I seek." The bill was passed by the Legislative Assembly 46 votes to 44.
Premier of New South Wales (2011–2014)
O'Farrell was sworn in as Premier by the Governor of New South Wales, Marie Bashir, on 28 March 2011. Although O'Farrell's victory was beyond doubt, counting was still underway in a few seats at the time. For this reason, O'Farrell had himself and NSW Nationals leader Andrew Stoner sworn in as an interim two-man government—a move similar to how Gough Whitlam took office after winning the 1972 federal election. The full ministry was sworn in on 3 April 2011 at a formal ceremony at Government House by the Lieutenant Governor, Justice James Spigelman. Upon taking office, O'Farrell reduced the size of the Premier's personal staff and moved the office from Governor Macquarie Tower back to the historic Premier's office within Parliament House.
Following the swearing in of cabinet, on 4 April O'Farrell announced a "100 Day Action Plan", outlining the agenda of his government for his first one hundred days in office. O'Farrell moved to rein in public expenditure by capping public service wage increases at 2.5% a year, with any additional increases to be justified by real productivity increases, and by abolishing the 'unattached list' for public servants. O'Farrell ensured the wages cap also applied to Members of Parliament and even secured agreement from the Governor, Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir, for the limit to apply to her wage increases. The new Government also enshrined the independence of the public service by the establishing of an independent Public Service Commission, to implement structural reform, chaired by former federal department head Peter Shergold.
As part of his determination to rein in spending, O'Farrell proposed reducing the lifetime office, staff, car and driver entitlements of former Premiers. In response three former Premiers – Neville Wran, Nick Greiner and Bob Carr – obtained legal advice and threatened to take court action to maintain their emoluments. After negotiations, changes were effected that saw the bill to taxpayers reduced by $770,000 in 2012/13 from $1.6 million in 2011/12. O'Farrell then managed to increase the minimum term to five years; O'Farrell himself would not eligible for the full pension and neither will Gladys and many others.
In announcing the changes, O'Farrell said "We went to the election with a commitment to cut costs. It's only fair former premiers do their bit. Long-serving premiers in NSW have until now been given lifelong entitlements, but it's time that practice ended."
2014 ICAC investigation and subsequent resignation
In April 2014, O'Farrell appeared as a witness during an investigation by the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption into alleged actions by Australian Water Holdings (AWH). At the inquiry, it was alleged that O'Farrell had received a A$3,000 bottle of Grange Hermitage wine from an AWH executive, which he had failed to declare. O'Farrell initially denied his receipt of the gift, but on the evening of 15 April, he was advised of a "thank you" note, to be presented to the ICAC, that he handwrote for AWH CEO Nick Di Girolamo. The note, presented as an ICAC exhibit, read: "Dear Nick & Jodie, We wanted to thank you for your kind note & the wonderful wine. 1959 was a very good year, even if it is getting even further away! Thanks for all your support. Kind regards."
On 16 April 2014, O'Farrell stated in a press conference that he had had "a massive memory fail" and he still could not explain a gift that he had "no recollection of". At a media conference he announced his intention to resign as the Premier of NSW. O'Farrell then re-appeared at ICAC, apologising for his error. The Counsel assisting the Commission reiterated there was no suggestion O'Farrell engaged in corrupt conduct. ICAC's report subsequently cleared him finding that it was satisfied, "that there was no intention on Mr O'Farrell's part to mislead".
Responding to subsequent media criticism, the counsel assisting, Geoffrey Watson SC, said that "at a personal level" he was sorry that his questions had unexpectedly resulted in O'Farrell's resignation.
On 23 April 2014 Treasurer Mike Baird was elected unopposed as Liberal Party leader and was subsequently sworn in as the 44th NSW Premier.
On 24 November 2014, O'Farrell announced his intention not to stand for re-election at the 2015 NSW election, and he retired from politics at that election.
Post-politics career
On 9 June 2015, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop appointed O'Farrell to be deputy chairman of the Australia–India Council, which aims to promote trade and investment ties between the two countries: "Mr O'Farrell's commitment to building deeper economic and community ties between Australia and India is well demonstrated. As Premier of New South Wales, he led annual trade missions to India. He also initiated the sister State relationship between New South Wales and Maharashtra in 2012." He began his term on the council on 1 August. In September 2015, the Federal Social Services Minister, Scott Morrison, announced that O'Farrell would also lead a Federal Government review into offshore gambling websites. In February 2016, the Minister for Sport, Stuart Ayres, announced O'Farrell's appointment to the Sydney Cricket Ground Trust.
In 2016, O'Farrell also joined the boards of the Royal Flying Doctor Service South Eastern Section and Obesity Australia In September 2016 NSW premier Mike Baird announced that O'Farrell had been appointed to the unpaid position of NSW's Special Envoy – India. O'Farrell left these three positions on 31 December 2018 to take on a new not-for-profit role with Diabetes Australia.
On 7 December 2016, the board of Racing Australia announced that O'Farrell had been appointed as the organisation's CEO. He commenced in the full-time position in early 2017. In January 2018, he became inaugural chair of the New South Wales Rugby League's Foundation Diabetes Australia announced his appointment as its independent president and board chair on 16 January 2019. On 12 March 2019, it was announced that O'Farrell had been appointed Chair of Wests Tigers, the NRL football club
High Commissioner to India
On 18 February 2020, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Marise Payne, announced O'Farrell's appointment as Australian High Commissioner to India and non-resident accredited ambassador to Bhutan. On 21 May 2020, O'Farrell presented his commission to the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, in India's first-ever virtual credentials ceremony. On 15 November 2020, O'Farrell sparked an outcry when he met Mohan Bhagwat, the leader of the far-right Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a paramilitary group which has been implicated in large-scale religious riots and other acts of extremist violence.
Despite COVID and lockdowns in Australia and India, O'Farrell oversaw a virtual 'leadership summit' held on 4 June 2020 between the Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. The summit elevated the Australia–India relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, with eleven accompanying agreements ranging from maritime and defence security through to education and economic co-operation.
As high commissioner O'Farrell announced his intention to replace the "3 Cs" (cricket, commonwealth and curry) with the "4 Ds" (democracy, defence, diaspora and dosti) in seeking to characterise Australia India relations.
On 7 October 2022, O'Farrell presented his credentials as ambassador to the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, at Tashichho Dzong in Thimphu.
In March 2023, Australia's serving ambassador in Berlin, Philip Green, was named Australia's next high commissioner to India.
Personal and community life
O'Farrell was first married in 1987. The union lasted for less than a year and he seeks to maintain the privacy of his former wife.
While working for Bruce Baird in Sydney, O'Farrell met Rosemary Cowan, Baird's personal assistant and the daughter of Bruce Cowan, a former Nationals state and federal politician. O'Farrell and Rosemary Cowan married in late 1992 and had two sons. Soon after becoming a Member of Parliament, he had been nicknamed "Fatty O'Barrel" by political opponents due to his weight. But in the period 2003–2005 O'Farrell is reported to have lost 40–50 kilograms.
As a Member of Parliament from 1995 to 2005, O'Farrell was involved in various local organisations including Ku-ring-gai Amateur Swimming Club, the Ku-ring-gai Historical Society and was an honorary member of the Rotary Club of Wahroonga. O'Farrell was vice patron of the Sir David Martin Foundation and patron of the RSPCA NSW Branch.
O'Farrell has walked the 110 km long Kokoda Track twice. The first time was in 2008 with his eldest son, and the second time was in 2014, with his youngest son and Seven News state political reporter Lee Jeloscek.
O'Farrell was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in the 2020 Australia Day Honours for "distinguished service to the people and Parliament of New South Wales, particularly as Premier, and to the community."
O'Farrell is a supporter of NRL club the Wests Tigers, of which he was appointed chairman of in 2019. On 1 December 2025 O'Farrell was removed from the board of the Wests Tigers due to a dispute with the club's ownership over jersey colours and communication issues. He was reinstated as chair of the board on 10 December.