Background
Fardell was born Sydney and moved to Dubbo in 1977.
Fardell was born Sydney and moved to Dubbo in 1977.
Fardell was a Councillor for Dubbo City Council between 1999 and 2005. Following the 2004 death of independent Tony McGrane, Fardell was elected to represent Dubbo at the subsequent by-election. Labor, who had not held the seat since 1959, did not field a candidate and federal independents Peter Andren and Tony Windsor supported Fardell in her campaign.
In the final result, Fardell picked up 49.3% of the primary vote, with 56% on a two-party preferred basis.
Fardell was defeated at the 2011 general election by Troy Grant, a local police inspector.
At the time, the by-election was seen as a test of the NSW Nationals, who had held the seat for 17 years prior to McGrane"s election in 1999, while Fardell presented herself as "capable of working with any party and not having to toe the party line".
She was returned to office in the 2007 state election, winning 41.66% of the primary vote with both major parties once again running, and served as a member of parliamentary standing committees on public works and road safety.
