A self-styled climate investor and activist — who amassed a $7 million war-chest for a group of independents running at the next federal election — says the money comes with "no strings attached".
Simon Holmes à Court is the convenor of Climate 200, a "movement" that's so far received 8,000 donations to support the campaigns of independents contesting the Liberal-held inner-city seats of Wentworth, North Sydney and MacKellar in New South Wales and Goldstein and Kooyong in Victoria.
Addressing the National Press Club, Mr Holmes à Court hit back at accusations that Climate 200 was a political party in disguise, saying it does not have a leader nor a policy platform.
However, he conceded, all of the candidates he's backing have a shared philosophy on climate change, integrity and gender equity.
He said his goal was to fix a "broken" political system that had been "rigged" by the two major parties.
"Hacking at the branches isn't working. We need to strike at the root," he said.
"Striking at the root means getting people into parliament who are strong, independent and ready to hold governments accountable."
Despite attacking the Coalition over its record on climate, integrity and the treatment of women, Mr Holmes à Court refused to say which major party the Climate 200 independents might back in the event of a hung parliament.
"This is absolutely a decision for each of them, individually," he said.
"Nothing to do with me. We don't have any agreement at all with the candidates. They are strictly independent."
Donations challenge
Mr Holmes à Court issued a challenge to the major parties on political donations, urging them to increase transparency by lowering the disclosure threshold from the existing $14,500 to $1,000.
Asked why Climate 200 had chosen not to lead by example and lower its own threshold, he said he would be putting Climate 200 at a disadvantage.
"This is a David and Goliath fight and asking David to tie his hands behind his back and put his slingshot down while Goliath is standing there with the bazooka and heavy artillery — sorry, we are trying to get these candidates in and, when they're on the crossbench, they will be able to implement integrity measures," he said.
"But we're not going to tie our own hands behind our back."
Liberal MP Dave Sharma, who's facing a challenge from Climate 200 candidate Allegra Spender in Wentworth, has rubbished suggestions the movement is simply a "small, disruptive startup".
"They're outspending anyone," he told Sky News.
"If it looks like a political party, if it acts like a political party, if it feels like a political party, I would suggest it is a political party."
Mr Sharma is well aware of the risks posed by cashed-up independents.
Prominent doctor Kerryn Phelps won Wentworth as an independent in the 2018 by-election, following former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull’s resignation.
While there is no expectation the Climate 200-backed candidates will succeed in unseating all of the Liberals they’re challenging, their campaigns are forcing the party to spend more time and direct more resources towards seats that were previously considered safe.
