Teal MPs accused of being ‘Labor-aligned’

Liberal MP Garth Hamilton seizes on new data to claim teal MPs have been caught ‘red handed’ supporting Labor in the chamber, an accusation hotly disputed by the independents.

Teal MPs Kylea Tink, Zali Steggall, Kate Chaney, Monique Ryan, Zoe Daniel & Allegra Spender. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The Coalition has seized on new data to accuse the six teal MPs who won blue-ribbon seats off the Liberals at the last election of being “Labor-aligned” in the House of Representatives, amid the possibility of a hung parliament at the next poll.

Parliamentary Library research conducted for Queensland Liberal MP Garth Hamilton shows the teals voted in support of Labor bills during second reading divisions between 71 per cent and 74 per cent of the time in their first two years in parliament.

The second reading is said to be the most important stage that a bill must pass, as it is the main idea of the bill that is agreed to or rejected by the house.

Some 38 bills went to a second reading division between July 2022 and May this year.

Of the second reading divisions they attended in the chamber, Sophie Scamps and Allegra Spender supported the government’s legislation 74 per cent of the time, compared to 73 per cent for Kate Chaney, 72 per cent for Zoe Daniel and Monique Ryan and 71 per cent for Kylea Tink.

Other independent MPs who voted a majority of the time with the government in the second reading included Helen Haines (73 per cent), Zali Steggall (71 per cent), Rebekha Sharkie (70 per cent), Dai Le (65 per cent) and Bob Katter (54 per cent). The Coalition supported just 19 per cent of the second reading votes.

Data was not requested for independents Andrew Wilkie, Russell Broadbent, Andrew Gee or the Greens.

Mr Hamilton, who holds his seat of Groom on a 6.89 per cent margin, said the teals had been caught “‘red-handed” while taking a swipe at fellow Liberal colleague Bridget Archer, who has been the most regular opposition MP to cross-the-floor and back Labor legislation.

“Bridget Archer is more independent,” Mr Hamilton said of the teals. “They’re clearly a party and they are clearly a Labor-aligned party. Some of these teals support Labor three times out of four; I support them three times out of 100. They want what’s worse for Australia – minority government. The second reading vote is all about your principles, something the teals have struggled to find.”

In the past two years, 10 government bills went to a division in the third reading stage, where a bill is voted on in its final form. It is usually a formal step only and debate is rare. Support for the third reading divisions among teal MPs was much smaller, ranging from 43 per cent to 60 per cent.

The Australian asked teal MPs who they were more inclined to support in the event of a hung parliament, but only Ms Ryan, the member for Kooyong, responded directly by saying she would consult with her community and grant confidence and supply to the party that best aligned with their values on the issues they cared about.

“Every other vote would be independent, based on Kooyong’s values and interests,” she said.

Ms Steggall, the member for Warringah, said in this parliament she’d considered each bill on its merits with feedback from her community, which was reflected in her voting record.

“(That is) something backbenchers like Garth Hamilton would not even begin to consider doing, voting along party lines irrespective of the issue or merit of a bill or amendment,” Ms Steggall said.

“The Coalition and backbenchers like Garth Hamilton have not tabled or proposed any significant legislative contribution this term of parliament. They are focused on politics, I am focused on improving legislation and outcomes for my community.”

Member for North Sydney Ms Tink, whose electorate is facing the axe under a proposed redistribution, said she’d voted “100 per cent in line with what my community has wanted and expects”.

“Mr Hamilton will no doubt continue to ignore his community and just vote how Peter Dutton tells him to vote,” she said.

“If Garth Hamilton spent as much time and energy focusing on his community as he does obsessing over independent MPs, he could be an effective local MP. Instead he uses his time and taxpayer resources to play petty politics – no wonder Australians are deserting the major parties in droves.”

Ms Daniel, the member for Goldstein, emphasised the third reading division figures, saying it showed “community independents think for themselves and listen to their electorates”.

“If the Coalition were more interested in improving legislation for the betterment of the community rather than simple kneejerk ideology dictating their opposition, it would be a very different picture,” she said.

Ms Spender, who represents the seat of Wentworth, said Mr Hamilton had “cherry picked statistics … As an independent I examine each piece of legislation and amendment on its merits and make my decision on how to vote in line with the values of my community,” she said.

Dr Scamps, the member for Mackellar, said it was the third reading votes that were substantive and decided whether a bill should pass the house.