Climate 200 picked candidates it wanted, say snubbed independents

Independent candidates who sought funding from Climate 200, but missed out, dispute claims the group has no hierarchy, does not start campaigns and does not select candidates.

Independent candidate for Hughes, Linda Seymour, in Sydney's south on Friday. Picture: Britta Campion

Independent candidates who sought funding from Simon Holmes a Court’s Climate 200 ­ organisation, but missed out, dispute the businessman’s claims his group has no ­hierarchy, does not start campaigns and does not ­select candidates.

A number of independents ­rejected by Climate 200 after discussions with the group’s leadership have told The Weekend Australian that money figured highest in their negotiations while seeking support to run in Liberal-held seats. All were told they ­needed to match Climate 200 funding targets before receiving help. They also claimed Mr Holmes a Court’s organisation picked other candidates – despite them satisfying Climate 200’s key funding criteria of gaining ­endorsement from local community groups to run as climate independents.

The experience of independents including Linda Seymour, Sarah Russell and Vania Holt ­appears at odds with Mr Holmes a Court’s assertion the movement is “nothing like a party” because “there’s no hierarchy, there’s no leader, there’s no head office, there is no co-ordinated policy platform”.

They tell a different story of disillusionment with Climate 200 following protracted discussions which ended in disappointment when other candidates without ­alleged local endorsement were chosen – or none at all.

Ms Seymour, running as an ­independent in the Sydney seat of Hughes, held by ex-Liberal and now United Australia Party MP Craig Kelly, started a group called We are Hughes in 2020 and initiated a selection process to choose a community-backed candidate.

Ms Seymour said We are ­Hughes identified two key issues, action on climate change and ­integrity in politics, which aligned with Climate 200.

The selection process appeared to run smoothly, she said, until Georgia Steele, a local who ­initially put her name forward as a We are Hughes candidate, ­abruptly dropped out. Ms Seymour said she was “surprised” and “confused” when Ms Steele announced she was running as an independent “in her own right” and with backing from Climate 200.

Ms Steele’s defence was the We are Hughes process was taking too long, and she had gained support from another community group, Hughes Deserves Better.

Without Ms Steele, We are ­Hughes chose Ms Seymour, who held discussions with Climate 200. “Climate 200 spoke with me,” she said. “They asked me how many volunteers I had and how much money we raised.”

Vania Holt.

According to Ms Seymour, Climate 200’s assessment was based on not so much shared values as how much funds she could raise quickly. She was reluctant to ask people for money over Christmas because many had endured hardship during Covid-19, she said.

“My assessment of Climate 200 is they see marketing and presence as key, and that does take big bucks,” Ms Seymour said.

She said she was disappointed two independents in Hughes could split the vote, potentially disadvantaging both candidates as they battled Liberal Jenny Ware and the UAP’s Mr Kelly.

Dr Russell has a similar tale in the Morning Peninsula seat of Flinders, held by Health Minister and local Liberal Greg Hunt until his retirement at the election.

Dr Russell is running as a Flinders independent with the endorsement of community group Voices of Mornington Peninsula. She said Voices of Mornington held a rigorous vetting process to choose a community independent and had hoped for Climate 200 funding. Three main candidates emerged – Claire Boardman, Despi O’Connor and an unidentified local man. When Ms Boardman was confirmed as the Voices of Mornington candidate in December, Ms O’Connor abruptly left the group and ran as a solo candidate. She gained funding from Climate 200, and also support from friend and Climate 200 ­advisory panel member, former Liberal MP Julia Banks. Dr Russell said “my eyes popped out of my head” when she learned Ms O’Connor was running.

Sarah Russell.

Ms Boardman quit as the Voices Of independent in February, concluding it would be too difficult to win Flinders with two independents, and Climate 200 backing the other.

Dr Russell said she was disappointed Flinders did not have one independent. She said she and Mr Holmes a Court had had many exchanges in which she had asked him about Climate 200.

She would have liked Climate 200 funding but now preferred to keep her support local: “I see Climate 200 as an outside organisation. When GetUp come down and do all their things, they’re not locals, they bus them in.”

Vania Holt, a lawyer from the NSW Hunter Valley, said she had several months of discussions with Climate 200 seeking financial support when she announced her independent run for Robertson, held by Liberal MP Lucy Wicks.

Reluctantly, Ms Holt said, she withdrew in April because she could not match Climate 200’s funding targets. “They wanted a fair bit of money,” she said.

The Weekend Australian asked Climate 200 questions about why Ms O’Connor was selected in Flinders, and Ms Steele in Hughes, and about discussions with Ms Holt. Climate 200 did not respond.