‘Holier than thou’ independents give coal donation debate a wide berth

‘Voices of’ candidates have scrambled to distance themselves from fossil fuel money, while refusing to condemn outright Warringah’s Zali Steggall.

The coal donations scandal engulfing Zali Steggall has sent a host of climate crusading “Voices of” candidates scrambling to distance themselves from the independent Warringah MP’s fossil fuel fundraising – while refusing to say whether she should give the money back.

An audit of Ms Steggall’s 2019 campaign finance found she had failed to disclose a $100,000 donation from the family trust of former coal company director John Kinghorn, which was split into eight separate donations that were under the disclosure threshold of $13,800. Ms Steggall has denied any wrongdoing and blamed the incident on an accounting “rookie error”.

Independent Warringah MP Zali Steggall has been a vocal critic of coal donors on social media, but is now under scrutiny for her own. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Before the six-figure donation was revealed, Ms Steggall had actively campaigned for campaign finance transparency and against contributions from the fossil fuel industry.

In 2020, Ms Steggall tweeted, “Fossil-fuel industry doubles donations to major parties in four years, report shows. Party politics are holding our future to ransom. Time for people to speak up for a safer future”.

Ms Steggall’s tweets include criticisms of fossil fuel donations, and calls for greater transparency. Picture: Twitter

Last year, Ms Steggall attacked the Morrison government for its handling of the controversy around then-attorney-general Christian Porter, saying: “Govt MPs have just voted repeatedly against Christian Porter’s blind trust being referred to privileges committee. Is there ever any question of integrity or principle that they will take a position on?”

Govt MPs have just voted repeatedly against Christian Porter’s blind trust being referred to privileges committee. Is there ever any question of integrity or principle that they will take a position on? #auspol #integrity

— 🌏 Zali Steggall MP (@zalisteggall) October 20, 2021

Responding to queries about whether they would take coal donations, a number of independent candidates for the 2022 election vowed they would not.

The campaigns of North Sydney “Voices” candidate Kylea Tink and Mackellar “Voices” candidate Sophie Scamps said that they would refuse coal donations while refusing to say whether the money should be returned.

Wentworth independent Allegra Spender’s campaign simply said Ms Spender was fighting for “a return to honest politics”.

Mackellar ‘Voices of’ independent Dr Sophie Scamps. Picture: Supplied

Wentworth independent Allegra Spender. Picture: Jane Dempster/The Australian

However, Nicolette Boele, who is challenging Communications Minister Paul Fletcher for the upper north shore seat of Bradfield, said she wouldn’t rule out taking donations linked to fossil fuels.

“People who earn a living from fossil fuel industries are entitled to participate in the democratic process, like everybody else,” Ms Boele said, adding the decision to return the donation was “a decision for Ms Steggall”. Mackellar Liberal MP Jason Falinski said the independent candidates had “no policies, no ideas” and the only argument being put forward was “vote for me, I inherited a lot of money”.

“It is difficult to think of an issue more core to the fake independents than their holier than thou claim of integrity, but here we have a donation that they tried to hide from a person who made much of his money from a coal mine he bought from Eddie Obeid,” Mr Falinski said. “This was their largest donation.

“If they had integrity they would return the money not try to hide it.”