‘Shot across the bow’ signals showdown between Liberals, independents

The Australian Electoral Commission has written to a number of grassroots groups pushing to oust government MPs at the next federal election, reminding them of their legal obligations to disclose financial donations and carry proper authorisations for political material.

More than 30 community groups across Australia, typically named “Voices of” or “Voices for”, are searching for, or have endorsed, independent candidates to front their campaigns at the next federal poll.

Former independent MP Cathy McGowan campaigning for Helen Haines in Indi in 2019.Credit: James Wiltshire

So far in Victoria, only independent Susan Benedyka has been formally announced as a candidate, preparing to contest a Senate seat.

The groups are largely targeting Liberal-held seats including – in Victoria – Treasurer Josh Frydenberg in Kooyong, Health Minister Greg Hunt in Flinders, and MP Tim Wilson in Goldstein.

At the coming election, the groups will be armed with significant financial resources, thanks to Climate 200, a fighting fund convened by clean-energy investor Simon Holmes à Court. The fund has already amassed almost $1.5 million to support independent candidates, including some from the Voices movement.

Climate 200 founder Simon Holmes a Court.Credit: Craig Abraham

The community-led campaign to topple government MPs has unsettled some in the Liberal Party.

Earlier this month, Liberal senator Andrew Bragg wrote to the AEC, urging it to satisfy itself that the Voices groups were being transparent about their funding.

Senator Bragg alleged the groups were failing to carry proper authorisation on their websites, and hiding their donors.

“Why would they wilfully avoid saying who they are and properly authorising their materials? Failing to comply with basic transparency requirements shows the Voices groups have something to hide. They should put up or shut up,” he told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.

The AEC says it is in the process of writing to a number of groups to remind them of their responsibilities under the Electoral Act.

“This sort of activity is not uncommon. We regularly correspond with people and entities regarding authorisations requirements and any financial disclosure obligations they may have,” a spokesman said.

“This often occurs following the discovery of relevant information available in the public domain or correspondence we receive. It is the first step taken in an effort to achieve adherence with any authorisation or financial disclosure requirements.”

Electoral lawyer Kiera Peacock, a partner at Marque Lawyers and a Climate 200 advisory board member, said the Voices campaigns had until the end of the financial year to lodge financial disclosures under the Electoral Act, and had not breached this requirement.

NSW Liberal senator Andrew Bragg alleged the “Voices” groups failed to follow AEC rules.Credit: James Brickwood

Cathy McGowan, whose successful campaign for the seat of Indi in northern Victoria was where the Voices movement began, said Senator Bragg’s complaint to the AEC “actually played out incredibly well for these groups”.

“I think it was their first taste that there actually is going to be a competition, and they need to be really aware of how the competition plays,” she said. “So this was a shot across the bow that it’s a really serious game.”

After The Age and Sydney Morning Herald reported on Sunday that Climate 200 had raised a $1.4 million “war chest”, Liberal Party federal party director Andrew Hirst emailed supporters seeking donations to a fighting fund for the Coalition.

“We can’t risk more left-leaning independents tipping Labor (and the Greens) into power,” he wrote.

Mr Holmes a Court said that, in the hours after the AEC email landed, donations to Climate 200 flooded in. The fund is now nudging $1.5 million.

In Indi, the Voices movement helped oust polarising MP Sophie Mirabella, installing Ms McGowan, who was later replaced by fellow Voices-backed independent Helen Haines.

That process was replicated in Sydney, where Voices for Warringah helped independent Zali Steggall topple former prime minister Tony Abbott.

Mr Wilson told The Age and Sydney Morning Herald that Ms Steggall, an outspoken advocate for stronger climate action, was “a hugely divisive force against achieving climate action” because she “actively undermines people working together when it distracts from her being a hero, even if at the expense of outcomes”.

“Each community will have a voice in the big house after the next election,” he said. “The real question is whether they’ve got a seat at the decision-making table. Liberal MP, yes; independent, who?”

Ms Steggall said Coalition MPs were the only ones failing to put in place a clear commitment for climate action.

“Mr Wilson’s comments are not surprising as he is defensive, having not delivered any policy or action on climate. He just wants to keep playing politics with Australia’s national security.”

Some senior Liberal Party figures privately deride the Voices campaigners as current or former Greens members, or Labor types.

But Ms McGowan said this was a dangerous assumption.

“I hope they keep thinking that. And I think that’s the attitude that these people who are organising are finding quite patronising.”

Mr Holmes à Court said Climate 200 would support candidates who supported strong action on climate change, integrity in government and gender equity.

Mr Frydenberg and Mr Hunt are among the stronger internal Liberal Party voices arguing for climate action, but Mr Holmes à Court said this counted for little.

“Look at their voting record: they vote the same way as Craig Kelly, Barnaby Joyce and George Christensen.”

The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald approached Mr Hunt and Mr Frydenberg for comment.

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