In 1988, he was selected as the Labor candidate for the traditionally safe seat of Bass Hill. He was previously the ALP candidate in the 1986 by-election for seat triggered by the retirement of the previous member and former Premier Neville Wran, but Lovelee was defeated by Liberal candidate Michael Owen. At the 1988 general election Lovelee defeated Owen in a rematch, but the seat was abolished in 1991 and Lovelee retired.
Ah, yeah Your feet, the hamster wheel Run like hell, go like hell, yeah So scream as loud as you can I'm not here, man, I'm gone Well, I stand on the mountains of Mars Sparking up, man, I'm gone Ah, yeah
At a 'graduation' ceremony held in December 2018 (above), children were paraded across a stage at Bill Lovelee YouthCentre in Chester Hill and Farmann shook hands with 'educators'.