Farina became involved in local politics in the late 1990s, and was serving as the deputy mayor of Bayswater when she began to be raised as a possible candidate to replace retiring MLA Diana Warnock in the seat of Perth for the 2001 state election.
In the late 1990s, Farina became involved in local politics and held the position of deputy mayor of Bayswater before being considered as a possible replacement for retiring MLA Diana Warnock in the Perth constituency for the 2001 state election.