Tens of thousands of voters in south-western NSW have cast their ballots in the eagerly-anticipated Farrer byelection, where One Nation is vying to continue its conservative crusade and upend a historic Liberal heartland.

The final votes have been cast in the contest for former opposition leader Sussan Ley's seat, which is being widely watched as a temperature check of voter dissatisfaction with the major parties.

If successful, it would be the first time a One Nation candidate has been directly elected to the House of Representatives.

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Opposition Leader Angus Taylor exchanged casual smiles and cool handshakes with locals outside key voting booths this morning, despite pressures to retain his predecessor's seat, which Ley held for 25 years.

"[It's an] important day for Farrer. We're humbly asking the people of Farrer to vote for Raissa," Taylor said.

Raissa Butkowski, the Liberal candidate, stifled suggestions the party's success in the region had fallen to voter dissatisfaction.

"The Liberal Party is not only the hope of Farrer but for the rest of the country," she said.

The seat has only ever been held by the Liberals or Nationals since its inception, and Labor is not running a candidate in the byelection.

But Butkowski faces an uphill battle, with One Nation vying to shake up the conservative status quo.

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"You know the nation is looking for change and Farrer is screaming out for change," One Nation candidate David Farley said.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has had the seat in her sights as the first pawn in a national takeover of major party politics, following a rise in support in recent months.

"[I'm voting for] Farley for sure. Just sick of the garbage of the major parties," one votert said.

"I've voted mostly the Libs all my life, but, they are not connected at the moment," another voter told 9News.

But others felt the conservative party didn't represent the people of Farrer.

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"I'm really sad at the idea that a community that has such a strong sort of migrant, multicultural background could possibly vote in One Nation," one woman said.

"That makes me really sad."

Independent candidate Michelle Milthorpe is shaping up as the closest contender for One Nation, having finished second to Ley at last year's federal election.

She too is pushing back against the major parties.

"I think they've lost that connection and the understanding of what it's like, you know, what a tank of fuel really costs," Milthorpe said.

"I think the clear message is that the two major parties, it's not business as usual anymore," independent MP for Indi Helen Haines said.

Farrer, which takes in the border town of Albury, has had just four representatives since its inception in 1949 – three Liberals and a National.

Today's byelection could spell disaster for Taylor.

"The Liberal Party made a decision on a new leader and that's had ramifications … we just get on with the job," Nationals leader Matt Canavan said.

"We're going to keep fighting for the things we believe in and that we know are the right things for this wonderful part of Australia," Taylor said.

Results from the vote count are expected to begin rolling in after 6pm, with candidates hoping to claim victory later tonight.

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A suburb in Sydney's west was thrown into lockdown overnight for several hours as police searched for a gunman.

The search started from a simple traffic infringement and the fugitive remained on the run this afternoon.

The shooter, wearing high-vis, was last spotted in Guildford.

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"A vehicle with irregular number plates committed a right-hand turn against traffic signs," Chief Inspector Rick Agius said.

The vehicle was a ute initially seen in South Wentworthville, before taking authorities on a 9-kilometre chase and eventually being pinned by police.

But the driver made a run for it, firing five shots into the air.

"The male in my opinion is totally irresponsible and stupid in his actions by discharging a firearm in a public place," Agius said.

"We're very lucky that no one was injured or killed."

Anyone with information can contact Crime Stopper

After a six hour manhunt and a search of the vehicle, authorities are no closer to figuring out who this man is and are hoping a member of the public can identify him.

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Emergency services were called to a rural farming property about 1.40pm Saturday.

The Herald went behind the scenes with Sky Sport at Super Round.

Age Concern Auckland says referrals for elder abuse rose 20-30% in a year.

You have probably heard about negative gearing quite a bit recently, and that's because the popular tax policy will likely be reformed for the first time in almost 40 years in next week's federal budget.

The all-but-confirmed changes have sparked quite a debate and divided opinions across the political spectrum and the private sector.

Here is why it's important (in simple terms, of course).

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Negative gearing is when an investor has expenses associated with a property, like interest on mortgage repayments, that are greater than the profit it makes.

Investors are then able to deduct many of those expenses from their taxable income, meaning they pay less during tax time. 

Negative gearing became more popular when the Howard government introduced the 50 per cent capital gains tax discount in 1999.

Coupled together, the generous concessions made it more attractive for investors to hold a property in the hopes that it increases value in the long-term and leads to a greater profit when they sell.

The findings from the Greens-led Senate inquiry in March outlined what some critics have been saying about negative gearing and the similarly popular capital gains tax discount: the policies are flawed and benefit investors over first-home buyers.

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Supporters of the policies, like the Housing Industry Association, believe any changes to the two property tax benefits could worsen the rental crisis by discouraging investment in housing.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers is poised to reform negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount when he delivers his federal budget on May 12.

He has not officially confirmed the policies will be included, but has not ruled them out either. 

While we don't know for sure how negative gearing will be changed, there have been reports it may be wound back entirely, only applied to investors with more than one property, or phased out with exemptions for new properties.

The government is hoping to use changes in the budget to address intergenerational inequity. 

The anticipated reforms are a big deal, particularly since negative gearing has remained largely untouched since the Hawke/Keating governments temporarily limited it and then reversed the decision in 1987.

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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese may also break a key promise by introducing changes after repeatedly telling reporters during last year's election campaign that he would not make any changes to negative gearing.

In one instance, he responded to a question about ruling out any changes with: "Yes. How hard is it? For the 50th time".

His government is, however, making the argument that changes are needed to address housing affordability and help young people enter the market.

"There are genuine intergenerational concerns and pressures in our budget, in our tax system, in our housing market and in our economy more broadly," Chalmers said on Monday. 

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The pair worked with a particular loader operator, and they both raised concerns.

The cul-de-sac has become a popular area for abandoned cars and bags full of rubbish.

Woman struck and killed after getting out of her vehicle after a minor crash last night.

A driver has been charged after an 81-year old man walking on a pavement was killed in Sydney's south-west.

Emergency crews were called to Hughes Street, near Cabramatta Station, around 4pm yesterday after receiving reports an MG ZS SUV veered off the road and hit the a man walking on the footpath.

NSW Ambulance paramedics treated the 81-year-old man at the scene, but he died.

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The driver of the SUV, a 51-year-old man, was not injured and was taken to Liverpool Hospital for mandatory testing.

He was taken to Cabramatta Police Station where he was charged with negligent driving occasioning death.

The man has been granted conditional bail to appear before Liverpool Local Court on June 3.

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