Climate 200 Pty Ltd
IndustryPolitical Funding
Founded2019 (2019)
FounderSimon Holmes à Court
Headquarters
Potts Point, New South Wales
Key people
Simon Holmes à Court (Convenor)
ProductsTeal independents
Websitewww.climate200.com.au

Climate 200 is an Australian company that provides political funding. It describes itself as a "community crowdfunding initiative" that supports community-backed independents to stand for election to advance climate policy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the country and limit climate change in Australia.[1] Its convener told the ABC that the backed candidates "have a shared philosophy on climate change, integrity and gender equity."[2]

The candidates are colloquially grouped by the media as the teal independents, reflecting the campaign colour chosen by some (but not all) of its candidates. The colour teal has been explained as indicating their policies are "a shade between blue Liberal and green."[3]

Background

The convenor of Climate 200 is Simon Holmes à Court, who was a part of Josh Frydenberg's fundraising group, the Kooyong 200.[4]

With a background in renewable energy and climate policy, Holmes à Court wrote an article in 2018 that was critical of the Coalition's efforts to keep coal fired power stations open.[5] Holmes à Court was thrown out of Frydenburg's group within 24 hours after the article was released, but this gave him an insight into major fundraising for campaigns.[4]

Election campaigns

2019 federal election

In the lead-up to the 2019 federal election the group raised over $500,000.

2022 federal election

For the 2022 federal election, the group provided funding for twenty-three candidates[6] who were either independent or running for minor parties, including most of the teal independents. Some of these candidates were also endorsed by Voices groups.[7] They also endorsed additional "values-aligned candidates" without funding them.[6]

The focus of the group was to get more people on the crossbench who aimed to strengthen climate policy and the functioning of parliament.[7][8]

The group announced a number of high-profile former MPs to join their advisory panel from across the political spectrum.[9]

In October 2021 the group announced that they had raised $2 million in 6 weeks.[10] By December 2021 that had grown to $6.5 million from 6,750 donors.[11] The group also conducted polling in some of the seats that they planned to support.[12]

Funded candidates

Candidate State Electorate Successful? Incumbent Party
David Pocock ACT ACT (Senate) Yes Various
Kim Rubenstein No
Jo Dyer SA Boothby No Liberal
Nicolette Boele NSW Bradfield No Liberal
Kate Hook NSW Calare No National
Claire Ferres Miles Vic Casey No Liberal
Andrew Wilkie Tas Clark Yes Independent
Caz Heise NSW Cowper No National
Kate Chaney WA Curtin Yes Liberal
Despi O'Connor Vic Flinders No Liberal
Zoe Daniel Vic Goldstein Yes Liberal
Liz Habermann SA Grey No Liberal
Georgia Steele NSW Hughes No United Australia
Helen Haines Vic Indi Yes Independent
Monique Ryan Vic Kooyong Yes Liberal
Sophie Scamps NSW Mackellar Yes Liberal
Rebekha Sharkie SA Mayo Yes Centre Alliance
Kylea Tink NSW North Sydney Yes Liberal
Hanabeth Luke NSW Page No National
Leanne Minshull Tas Tasmania (Senate) No Various
Alex Dyson Vic Wannon No Liberal
Zali Steggall NSW Warringah Yes Independent
Allegra Spender NSW Wentworth Yes Liberal

2022 Victorian state election

Climate 200 announced their support for a number of independent candidates in the Victorian state election. The candidates were Kate Lardner for Mornington, Melissa Lowe for Hawthorn, Sophie Torney for Kew, and Nomi Kaltmann for Caulfield.[13] No independents won seats at the election, with all incumbent independents being defeated.

Legislative Assembly
Candidate District Incumbent party % 1st pref. % 2CP Elected Colours
Sarah Fenton Bellarine Labor 4.58% — No       [14]
Jacqui Hawkins Benambra Liberal 31.70% 49.06% No     [15]
Felicity Frederico Brighton Liberal 9.10% — No       [16]
Nomi Kaltmann Caulfield Liberal 6.50% — No         [17]
Melissa Lowe Hawthorn Labor 19.98% — No       [18]
Sophie Torney Kew Liberal 21.10% — No       [19]
Kate Lardner Mornington Liberal 22.42% 49.30% No         [20]
Clarke Martin Sandringham Liberal 6.91% — No       [21]

2023 NSW state election

Legislative Assembly
Candidate Division Incumbent party % 1st pref. % 2CP Elected Colours
Victoria Davidson Lane Cove Liberal 20.38% — No         [22]
Joeline Hackman Manly Liberal 27.19% 45.15% No       [23]
Helen Conway North Shore Liberal 21.85% 44.31% No         [24]
Jacqui Scruby Pittwater Liberal 35.86% 49.34% No         [25]
Karen Freyer Vaucluse Liberal 17.06% 37.12% No     [26]
Judith Hannan Wollondilly Liberal 25.94% 51.52% Yes         [27]
Legislative Council
Candidate % 1st pref. Elected Colours
Elizabeth Farrelly 46,737 No       [28]

Reception

Climate 200 is a fund that distributes resources to its chosen candidates; however, there are many who claim that it is a political party.[29][30] Holmes à Court rejected this notion in a February 2022 National Press Club address.[31] He says that the money that the candidates receive have no strings attached and Climate 200 has no control over them.[32] In September 2021, Senator Andrew Bragg wrote to the Australian Electoral Commission to ask them to ensure that group were fulfilling all the requirements for disclosures for political donations.[33] In December 2021, the federal parliament passed a law to require "significant third parties" to register if they spend more than $250,000 on electoral expenditure in a year.[34]

There is a view that Climate 200 is a vehicle for people opposed to the Liberal Party to defeat it in seats that are unwinnable by the Australian Labor Party. The Australian Financial Review in February 2022 described Climate 200 as "an anti-Liberal Party fundraising vehicle controlled by renewable-energy advocate Simon Holmes à Court [which is running] Independents funded by Mr Holmes à Court ... in about 20 Liberal-held seats...".[35] Antony Green, ABC chief elections analyst, stated in April 2022 that these independents are running in "winnable seats ... but these are seats that Labor would never win, the Greens wouldn't win — these are safe Liberal seats."[3]

There were 22 candidates supported by Climate 200 at the 2022 Australian Federal Election.[36] 15 contested Coalition incumbents, 3 were independents who held previously Liberal held seats, and 2 were senate candidates in the ACT where they contested the seat then held by Zed Seselja.[37][38] Wilkie and Leanne Minshull, an independent Senate candidate in Tasmania, were the only two that not directly contesting Coalition held seats. Independents with similar platforms to those endorsed by Climate 200 who ran in Labor held seats, such as Sarina Kilham in Grayndler held by Anthony Albanese, Leader of the Labor Party, were not endorsed.[39] Jo Dyer, the supported candidate in Boothby, a Liberal seat indicated she would support a Labor minority government,[40] and Dr Monique Ryan, the supported candidate in Kooyong, then held by Josh Frydenberg, is a former Labor member.[41]

People involved

Advisors

Donors

References

  1. ↑ "Climate 200: Fighting for science-based climate policy". www.climate200.com.au. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  2. ↑ "$7 million war chest to challenge sitting Liberals on climate comes with 'no strings attached', says financier". ABC News. 16 February 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  3. 1 2 Hawley, Sam; Smiley, Stephen (20 April 2022). "Who are the 'teal independents'? Your questions answered about the candidates fighting for some of Australia's wealthiest electorates". ABC. ABC. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  4. 1 2 Turner, Brook (29 October 2021). "Simon Holmes à Court: 'If it works, the payoff will be enormous'". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  5. ↑ "Why Liddell is likely to close in 2022, and why you shouldn't care | Simon Holmes à Court". The Guardian. 9 April 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  6. 1 2 "Climate 200 supported candidates". www.climate200.com.au. Archived from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  7. 1 2 O'Malley, Nick (3 September 2021). "Political forces back independent candidates in climate change power bid". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  8. ↑ "Inside the fight to control the climate agenda in the next parliament". Crikey. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  9. 1 2 "Former Liberal MP Julia Banks will join Climate 200 group to support independents". The Guardian. 8 September 2021. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  10. 1 2 "Climate 200 raises $2m in six weeks to help independents but expects Liberal party 'interference'". The Guardian. 7 October 2021. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  11. ↑ "Subscribe to The Australian | Newspaper home delivery, website, iPad, iPhone & Android apps". Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  12. ↑ "Voters in Sydney's Liberal 'heartland' more worried about climate than Covid, polling suggests". The Guardian. 23 August 2021. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  13. ↑ "Climate 200 supported candidates". www.climate200.com.au. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  14. ↑ Sarah Fenton's Website
  15. ↑ Jacqui Hawkins's Twitter Account
  16. ↑ Felicity Frederico's Website
  17. ↑ Nomi Kaltmann's Website
  18. ↑ Melissa Lowe's Website
  19. ↑ Sophie Torney's Website
  20. ↑ Kate Lardner's Website
  21. ↑ Clarke Martin's Website
  22. ↑ Victoria Davidson's Website
  23. ↑ Joeline Hackman's Website
  24. ↑ Helen Conway's Website
  25. ↑ Jacqui Scruby's Website
  26. ↑ Karen Freyer's Website
  27. ↑ Judith Hannan's Website
  28. ↑ Elizabeth Farrelly Independents's Website
  29. ↑ "High-profile seats 'under attack' from Climate 200 'so-called independents'".
  30. ↑ "Climate 200 raises $2m in six weeks to help independents but expects Liberal party 'interference'". The Guardian. 7 October 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  31. ↑ Simon Holmes à Court on 'Independents and Climate – The Hope to End the Lost Decade', retrieved 18 May 2022
  32. ↑ "$7 million war chest to challenge sitting Liberals on climate comes with 'no strings attached', says financier". ABC News. 16 February 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
  33. ↑ Harris, Rob (1 September 2021). "Electoral Commission urged to probe funding of 'Voices for' movements". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  34. ↑ "Morrison government urges MPs to dob in climate and 'Voices for' groups under new donor rules". The Guardian. 13 December 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  35. ↑ Independent amasses $684,000 for tilt at Zimmerman's Liberal seat; afr.com; Feb 20, 2022
  36. ↑ "Climate 200 supported candidates". Climate 200. Climate 200. Archived from the original on 3 May 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  37. ↑ "Search Senators and Members". Parliament of Australia. Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  38. ↑ King, Rosie; Radford, Antoinette (17 December 2021). "Former Wallabies captain David Pocock running as independent candidate for ACT Senate seat". ABC. ABC. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  39. ↑ "Sarina Kilham - Your Vote Your Voice". Sarina Kilham. Sarina Kilham, Independent Candidate for Grayndler for Your Vote Your Voice. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  40. ↑ Henderson, Gerard (16 April 2022). "How independent are candidates if they have hidden past links to the Labor Party?". The Australian. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  41. ↑ Gordon, Josh (21 December 2021). "Kooyong independent insists she is 'cleanskin' despite former Labor membership". The Age. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  42. 1 2 3 "'Keep the bastards honest': former Australian Democrats leader joins high-profile group backing independents". The Guardian. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  43. 1 2 "Windsor and Oakeshott ride again in push to bring climate to forefront". Crikey. 1 October 2021. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  44. ↑ Hutchinson, Stephen Brook, Samantha (5 December 2021). "Milgrom family take a stand to save the planet". The Age. Retrieved 6 December 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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