Election 2025: Climate 200-backed independent volunteered for Greens at last election

The Climate 200-backed teal independent candidate running against Opposition Leader Peter Dutton in his Brisbane electorate volunteered for the Greens in the seat at the last election.

Ellie Smith, second from left, the teal independent candidate for Dickson at the 2025 federal election, volunteering for the Greens at the 2022 federal election. Picture: Facebook

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The Climate 200-backed teal ­independent running against Peter Dutton in his Brisbane electorate volunteered for the Greens in the seat at the last election.

Independent candidate Ellie Smith – decked out in official Greens merchandise – handed out how-to-vote cards for Greens candidate Vinnie Batten in the ­Opposition Leader’s seat of Dickson at the 2022 federal election.

Ms Smith’s role was revealed in a newly uncovered May 2022 Facebook post from Mr Batten – who is running again for the Greens in the Brisbane outer-suburban seat – talking up the federal election result for the Greens and the teals.

“Queensland has seen an ­absolutely tectonic shift by electing up to 4 new Greens members, showing that alongside the surge in support down south for the teal independents, there has never been a clearer mandate that we must say NO to the inaction on climate change, the inequality crisis, and outright corruption that (the) status quo represents,” Mr Batten said on Facebook.

A spokesman for Ms Smith confirmed she volunteered for the Greens in Dickson on election day in 2022, but had not been a member of the minor party or any other political party.

The photograph is now ­appearing on flyers being handed out by the LNP at pre-poll booths in Mr Dutton’s electorate, which the Opposition Leader holds by just 1.7 per cent. He is being challenged by Labor candidate Ali France for the third time.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, MP for Dickson. Picture: Adam Head

Teal independent candidate Ellie Smith, who is contesting the seat of Dickson. Picture: Liam Kidston

Ms Smith said Mr Dutton had spent an estimated $300,000 over the past three weeks attacking her as a community independent candidate in Dickson.

“He’s desperately trying to cling on in Dickson – not because he wants to help people here, but to help his own political career. I have never felt represented by any political party in Dickson,” Ms Smith said. “But I have never had the choice to vote for a community independent. That changes at this election. People can vote for me as an independent voice for them in parliament.”

While Ms Smith’s how-to-vote cards suggest voters put her as No.1 on their ballot papers and then make up their own minds about where they direct their preferences, Greens candidate Mr Batten’s how-to-vote card has put Ms Smith fourth, ahead of both Labor and the LNP.

Ms Smith previously worked for the Lock the Gate Alliance, campaigning against coal-seam gas exploration on productive farmland.

At the 2022 election, Mr Dutton suffered a swing of nearly 3 per cent against him after preferences were distributed, but narrowly beat Ms France. Mr Batten ­secured 13 per cent of the primary vote, while Ms France took 31.7 per cent and Mr Dutton had 42 per cent.

Dickson is now the LNP’s most marginal seat in Queensland.