Former Greens and Labor staffers among top advisers backing Teal candidates via Simon Holmes a Court’s Climate 200 group

The top talent steering Climate 200’s federal election strategy have got something in common – jobs with Labor or the Greens on their CV.

The climate-conscious lobby group bankrolling a string of Teal candidates at the upcoming federal election is made up of former Labor and Greens strategists.

Three top advisers on Simon Holmes a Court’s payroll and spearheading the Climate 200 campaign this election have all worked for Greens leader Adam Bandt, former Greens leader Christine Milne or Labor Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

The Liberals will use the revelations to reiterate their attack lines that the Teals are Greens pretending to be community independents.

News Corp Australia can reveal Climate 200 – which backs the independent candidates – includes political strategist Gideon Reisner, who previously worked for Greens leader Adam Bandt for three years from March 2017 to March 2020.

Gideon Reisner, Climate 200 political strategist.

Nick Hayden, Climate 200 media and communications director.

Prior to that Mr Reisner worked for Greens Senator Janet Rice and Greens Victorian state MP Ellen Sandell.

Nick Hayden, Climate 200’s media and communications director, worked for Labor Treasurer Jim Chalmers from August 2023 to August 2024.

A third senior staff member, strategic communication head Alexandra Lamb, worked as a media adviser to former Greens leader Christine Milne between 2012 and 2013.

The Greens were in a formal power-sharing alliance with Julia Gillard and Labor from 2010 until February 2013.

Former Greens leader Christine Milne, who had Climate 200 strategic communication head Alexandra Lamb on her staff in 2012-13.

Teal MPs have consistently argued they are grassroots community independents who have also held Labor to account.

“Climate 200’s founder and convenor was a member of the Liberal party’s Kooyong 200 and former Liberal leader, John Hewson is a member of Climate 200’s advisory council,” a Climate 200 spokeman said.

They rejected Liberal analysis last year that showed Teals had voted with Greens more than 70 per cent of the time on second-reading motions.

“The Coalition data misrepresents my voting record because it is also counting when the Greens supported my motions – and I have no control about how they vote,” Warringah MP Zali Steggal said in August.

Wentworth MP Allegra Spender also said in August that claims she had frequently voted with the Greens were “highly misleading”.

A Climate 200 spokesman said the independent movement had staff from across the political spectrum who “have worked for the Liberals, Nationals, Greens, Labor, Jacqui Lambie, Bob Katter and Dai Le”.

The billionaire backer of the Teals movement, Simon Holmes a Court. Picture: Martin Ollman

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton last week revealed he would be open to negotiating with the crossbench to try and form a minority government, but ruled out any deals with the Teals.

The party has launched a website looking into the Teals’ ties to Greens and Labor, including claims the independents voted with the Greens 70 per cent of the time.

“There is nothing independent about Climate 200 or the candidates they bankroll – they are Greens in Teal clothing,” Coalition campaign spokesman James Paterson said.

“We know former Greens and Labor strategists are calling the shots inside Climate 200 … a vote for a Climate 200-backed candidate is a vote for a Labor-Greens-Teal minority government.”

News Corp Australia earlier revealed that a Greens spokesman in the key Sydney electorate of Bradfield had urged voters to preference Teal candidate Nicolette Boele.

Climate 200 was responsible for financing five Teal MPs who came into power in the 2022 election by toppling Liberals in blue-riband seats.

This time around, Climate 200 is again backing independent candidates including in the regions.

Originally published as Former Greens and Labor staffers among top advisers backing Teal candidates via Simon Holmes a Court’s Climate 200 group