‘Teals can’t blackmail us’: Labor Senator Don Farrell’s stinging attack

As the Teals face a major loss of political clout in a powerful Albanese government, they are also at the mercy of waning public support, says one senior Labor Senator.

Teal politicians backed by Climate 200 will lose their influence as support wanes for the movement, not due to incoming caps on federal campaign spending and donations, according to a senior Labor MP.

The influence of big money from Climate 200 and billionaires like Clive Palmer in future federal elections will be squashed by next year’s overhaul, which will see a cap of $50,000 on annual donations for individual donors, and a ban on candidates spending more than $800,000.

It comes as the Teals grapple with Labor’s massive election win, giving the ALP complete control in the house and removing the Teals bargaining power with the PM.

The Teals on Sunday tried to play down their loss of political clout, which will be a major blow for voters whose electorates are now at risk of being ignored for at least six years by a Labor majority.

Climate 200 founder Simon Holmes a Court. Picture: AAP Image/Morgan Hancock

The independent movement bankrolled by Simon Holmes a Court’s fundraising arm is only set to pick up one new seat, with Nicolette Boele leading Liberal Gisele Kapterian in the NSW electorate of Bradfield.

The political future of Zoe Daniel is also on the line with former Liberal MP Tim Wilson gaining an early 4 per cent swing towards him in Victoria’s seat of Goldstein.

Most independent incumbents will hold their seats, with preference flows getting them over the line despite Liberal candidates leading the primary vote counts.

Dr Monique Ryan with her supporters at the Malvern campaign office the day after the federal election. Picture: Tony Gough

Dr Monique Ryan will retain the prized blue ribbon seat of Kooyong, while Kate Chaney has won a second term in the WA seat of Curtain.

The crossbench had raised concerns about the impact of the donations caps, which passed last year after a deal between Labor and the Coalition, warning it will disadvantage anyone not in a major party.

But Labor Senator Don Farrell said the caps won’t cripple the Teals, instead they’ll be more hampered by a loss of public support over time.

“It won’t have anything to do with the limits on spending, it’s just that life moves on and other issues take precedence,” he said.

“Everybody is now on a level playing field, and if the Teals can’t get their message out with a spending of $800,000 then maybe they shouldn’t be in the business,” Senator Farrell said.

Senator Don Farrell appears at the Community Affairs Estimates at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

He said he always thought Labor would win a majority so was not worried about the “Teals blackmailing us into changing those figures”.

Political parties will still be able to spend up to $90m nationally.

Donors will be limited to giving no more than $1.6m nationally in a calendar year, but this would be restricted to no more than $250,000 in any one state or territory.

LaTrobe University politics expert Nicholas Barry said the laws would make it harder for groups like Climate 200, as well fundraising and campaigning for new independent candidates.

A Climate 200 spokesman said the election was a huge endorsement for community independents and declared the “movement is here to stay”.

“But the legislation has been designed to lock out competition from independents and minor parties at a time when one third of Australians no longer support the two major parties,” he said.

Originally published as ‘Teals can’t blackmail us’: Labor Senator Don Farrell’s stinging attack