Federal election 2025: Calare race between Kate Hook, Andrew Gee, Sam Farraway

Climate crowdfunders are throwing their support behind an independent candidate running in Calare NSW, donating close to $250,000.

Voters in the Central West and Central Tablelands of NSW are pushing for change at the upcoming federal election as they throw their money behind independent candidate Kate Hook.

Ms Hook, who is running for the seat of Calare, has more than doubled her donations from 2022, with $463,880 declared so far this campaign, compared to $170,000 in 2022.

The war chest includes $247,300 from renewable energy activist Simon Holmes à Court’s Climate 200, $20,000 from the Regional Voices Fund and $50,000 from Keldoulis Investments, owned by share trader Robert Keldoulis who is a strong Climate 200 backer, as well as other small donations from individuals.

Ms Hook is one of a number of independents declaring all donations.

“I’m transparent about my donations because I think all candidates and parties should be,” she told The Weekly Times.

The businesswoman and small farmer first ran for Calare in 2022, which is considered a National stronghold but has been represented by independents in the past, including the hugely popular Peter Andren from 1996 to 2007.

Independent candidate for Calare in NSW, Kate Hook.

The seat extends from Mudgee in the north-west to Bathurst, Orange and Lithgow in the Central Tablelands and Canowindra in the south-west.

Andrew Gee, who has held the seat since 2016, is running as an independent for the first time, after he resigned from the Nationals in December 2022 over the party’s opposition to the Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

Mr Gee does not declare his donations on his website, however if a donation is more than $16,900 it will be disclosed to the Australian Electoral Commission.

“In this election there is a big field of candidates, a couple of whom are spending cash

like there is no tomorrow,” Mr Gee said.

“The Nationals have big corporates like big tobacco backing them and the teals (Kate Hook) has billionaire Simon Holmes a Court. As a true country Independent I’m taking on the big end of town and I’m up for the challenge.”

Federal member for Calare Andrew Gee walks with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during the Eugowra floods. Picture: PMO via NCA NewsWire.

Meanwhile, the Nationals candidate for the seat is first-timer, former NSW Legislative Council member Sam Farraway, who resigned from state parliament in November 2024 to focus on the federal race.

Nationals candidate Mr Farraway was contacted for comment.

Ms Hook said “there’s definitely a mood for change”.

She said there has been more support this campaign compared to 2022.

“I think people were uncertain about an independents chances last time but were surprised to see how successful it was.”

Ms Hook secured 20.4 per cent of the first preference vote in 2022, while Mr Gee secured 47 per cent, a 2.16 per cent swing away from Labor. On the two-candidate preferred vote Ms Hook had 40 per cent of the votes, while Mr Gee secured 59 per cent.

The electorate is brimming with signage from Ms Hook, Mr Gee and Mr Farraway – however, Ms Hook’s appears to be the most prominent and that is not an accident.

“Political campaigns are expensive and if you can’t afford to spend on advertising to raise awareness, you won’t have the recognition you need,” Ms Hook said.

“We learned this in 2022, when we discovered after the election, that only 25 per cent of voters knew who I was or what a community independent is all about. Yet, I achieved 20 per cent of the primary vote. We knew that this time, the challenge was to get my name and messages out more broadly, to increase recognition for voters.”

Fourth generation livestock farmer Graham Brown from Orange, NSW, said the community would like to see some change.

“The Calare electorate has had a couple of independents over the years … Peter Andren worked hard for the electorate and I think the Nats suffered in the John Cobb era,” Mr Brown said.

“So the Calare electorate is not unused to independents, but the ability for independents to take their community based policies to a broader national policy is hard.”

Mr Brown said he thinks Andrew Gee has damaged his reputation after resigning from the Nationals as “no one likes a turncoat” and that Kate Hook and her team will sway a lot of swinging voters.

Calare is also being contested by Labor’s Julie Cunningham, Ben Parker from the Greens, Jennifer Hughes from One Nation and Ross Hazelton from Family First.