A former foreign correspondent, a public relations executive, a businesswoman and daughter of an Australian fashion designer are all trying to unseat several moderate liberals in power - including Dave Sharma, Tim Wilson and Trent Zimmerman.
The independents’ campaigns are sophisticated and being bankrolled by Climate 200, a fundraising group convened by entrepreneur Simon Holmes à Court, that’s backing independents pledging stronger climate action.
Former Olympic medallist Zali Steggall unseated Tony Abbott in the last election, but just how likely are these well-funded candidates likely to succeed this time around?
Political scientist, Dr Jill Sheppard, from the Australian National University says while the candidates are capitalising on voter sentiment the odds are stacked against them.
“Everything about the Australian political system gravitates towards the two major parties,” Dr Sheppard said.
Barrister and former world champion skier Zali Steggall campaigning in 2019 Source: AAP
“The hype is huge at the moment but it's going to be incredibly difficult for any of the independents,” she said.
To better understand the complexities of the challenge, SBS News spent time with several of these new contenders.
From foreign correspondent to climate conversations in Goldstein
In the beachside suburb of Hampton in Melbourne’s south-east, teal-coloured t-shirts are becoming a symbol of a new kind of politics.
There are more than 800 volunteers donning this attire, all in support of Zoe Daniel who is running against sitting Liberal MP, Tim Wilson.
Ms Daniel is a former ABC journalist and foreign correspondent who has covered war, natural disasters and politics.
“The repeat experience of seeing the impact of climate change started to really affect me and give me a sense of frustration around lack of action,” Ms Daniel told SBS News.
“My son said: Well, Mum, you can do something for us. Someone has to do something for us.”
Running on a pro-climate and pro-integrity platform, Ms Daniel believes voter frustration directed at the major parties is being underestimated.
Her opponent is government MP, Tim Wilson, who was elected in 2016 and was recently promoted to the outer ministry. He won the seat by eight per cent against Labor at the 2019 election and he’s currently serving as the assistant minister to the minister for industry, energy and emissions reduction, Angus Talyor.
Mr Wilson maintains he is unfazed by his new challenger and thinks there are more pressing issues that voters are worried about.
“What I hear from constituents is they're concerned about cost-of-living pressures, inflation, concern around rising interest rates and they're concerned about climate change,” Mr Wilson said.
The Coalition’s main point of attack against these Independents running in blue-ribbon seats is that they will only end up benefiting Labor.
“The reality is our local residents are seeing through these shadow Labor candidates who are claiming to be one thing,”
“They should really have the integrity and own up to the fact that they're just trying to sneak Anthony Albanese into government,” he said.
It is an argument Ms Daniel doesn’t agree with.
“I think it's really dismissive… Many people who I talked to and many of our thousands of supporters are disillusioned Liberal voters,” she said.
But Labor is also emerging as a contender in the electorate. The other most likely victor is shaping up to be the ALP’s Martyn Abbott, a former public servant.
One of the biggest challenges in running against the major parties is funding. With the resources at hand of the two major parties, these candidates are certain to be outspent on the trail.
According to Ms Daniel’s campaign, $831,000 has been raised so far, and of that, $400,000 dollars has been donated by Climate 200 and $431,000 donated from the community.
Climate 200’s backing of 16 independent candidates has been criticised by the Government as an ‘anti-Coalition’ movement.
At the last election, the group donated $354,000 dollars to a range of Independents including the member for Indi in Victoria, Helen Haines.
Climate 200’s convenor, philanthropist and energy analyst Simon Holmes à Court, insists there are ‘no strings attached’ to the amount of funding being provided.
Earlier this year he addressed the National Press Club and was pressed about what he expects in return for the organisation’s support.
“We don't have any agreement at all with the candidates. They are strictly independent,” Mr Holmes à Court said.
A new independent tilt at Wentworth
In Sydney's eastern suburbs, the seat of Wentworth is one of the nation’s most affluent and exclusive electorates.
It’s here where Allegra Spender, the daughter of Australian fashion designer, the late Carla Zampatti, has spent most of her life.
Businesswoman Allegra Spender will be running against Liberal MP Dave Sharma in the Sydney seat of Wentworth Source: SBS News / Supplied
“I felt that neither party in recent years have really stood for what I think is really important… I think independents are an opportunity to reset the agenda,” Ms Spender told SBS News.
“Wentworth is not being represented in Canberra, it's this disconnect…If people say they're moderate liberals and modern liberals, the point is, they're not being effective in driving moderate liberal agendas.”
Ms Spender is referring to her opponent, Liberal MP and former Australian Ambassador to Israel, Dave Sharma.
He declined to be interviewed for this story.
This week Ms Spender accused Mr Sharma of "copying" the teal colour associated with independents on one of his marketing brochures, which also doesn't mention his membership of the Liberal Party.
"Looks like my opponent is a big fan of teal. Copying my colours is a great start. Now do my policies. Commit to voting in parliament for a 50 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030, a federal integrity commission, and the humane treatment of refugees #realteal," she tweeted.
Mr Sharma told the Sydney Morning Herald that he did not always mention his party affiliation in his communications, though it would be on all his campaign materials once the election was called, he said.
He also denied he had copied the colour.
“I’ve been on the blue colour scheme ever since I was a Liberal, so I don’t think the question is why am I copying someone else’s colour scheme, I think is why they are on the Liberal colours, and that’s a question for the other candidate,” he said. “No one owns a colour.”
It’s not the first time Mr Sharma has campaigned against a local independent. For two decades Wentworth was one of the safest Liberal seats in the country. But in 2018, independent Dr Kerryn Phelps narrowly took the seat against Dave Sharma after former Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull quit politics.
Several months later at the 2019 election, the seat returned to the Liberal Party with Mr Sharma winning by a slim margin.
Ms Spender believes under the Morrison government, the electorate’s progressive views cannot be properly represented.
“We've had three years of Dave Sharma and we have not got what Wentworth really cares about,” she said.
Dr Jill Sheppard said the challenge for candidates like Ms Spender is running on a progressive platform but also being seen as a safe pair of hands.
“A lot of voters probably wouldn't like to admit that they really liked stability in government,” Dr Sheppard said.
“I think Allegra Spender is the perfect example of this independent candidate, who, if there wasn't a push towards conservatism in the Liberal Party currently, would be a perfect liberal candidate.”
Climate and parliamentary accountability in North Sydney
In the nearby seat of North Sydney which possesses a similar high median income, another contest looms.
Former public relations executive Kylea Tink has also had enough of a perceived lack of action on climate change and parliamentary integrity.
“The reality is when you look at the people that are standing up across the country, the majority of us aren't professional politicians,” Ms Tink said.
“We are people though, that have been dedicated to our communities for a really long time and we have worked to bring about positive change.”
Kylea Tink will be contesting the seat of North Sydney at the 2022 federal election. Source: SBS News / Supplied
Ms Tink is running against moderate Liberal MP, Trent Zimmerman, who has held the seat since 2015.
“It's a bit of a mystery because it's strange that this independent network is only targeting Liberals and really only targeting moderate Liberals,” Mr Zimmerman said.
Mr Zimmerman was a strong advocate for same-sex marriage and recently crossed the floor over the government’s religious discrimination bill.
“I've never taken North Sydney for granted and it's been a seat that's been held by an independent before… I'm expecting it to be a tough contest,” he said.
As campaigning in the area heats up, it’s likely to be a three-way contest with human rights lawyer, Catherine Renshaw, contesting the seat for Labor.
“There's a really deep sense of frustration with the fact that the residents of North Sydney feel like they've been taken for granted because the seat is regarded as being so safe,” Ms Renshaw said.
Will large-scale funding make a difference?
Both independent campaigns in North Sydney and Wentworth are receiving support from Climate 200 in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
With that propelling the local campaigns, the government has been on the counter-attack, raising the prospect of a hung parliament talking to the instability it says a bigger crossbench could bring.
None of the independent candidates have made clear which party they would back if it turns out they could decide who forms government, saying they are willing to negotiate and work with either party.
The ANU’s Dr Sheppard said for the independents, keeping an open mind is the only way to neutralise the issue.
“The problem that independent candidates face going into the election is if they hang their flag on either party, voters may as well vote for those parties,” she said.
“Saying at the moment that they have an open mind is entirely sensible.”
