Climate 200

Climate 200 is an Australian fund that aims to donate money to candidates who want to advance climate policy.[1]

Background

The convenor of Climate 200 is Simon Holmes à Court, who was a part of Josh Frydenberg's fundraising group, the Kooyong 200.

With a background in renewable energy and climate policy, Holmes à Court wrote an article in 2018 that was critical of the Coalition's efforts to keep coal fire power stations open.[2] Holmes à Court was thrown out of the group within 24 hours after the article was released, but this gave him an insight into major fundraising for campaigns.

The name of his fund is a tongue in cheek reference to the Kooyong 200.[2]

Election campaigns

2019 federal election

In the lead-up to the 2019 federal election the group raised over $500,000 and donated the money mostly to independent candidates, but also donated to the campaign of Adam Bandt of the Greens.[2]

2022 election campaign

For the next federal election, the group is planning to target a number of seats held by the Liberal Party. Many of the seats have grassroots 'Voices' groups that intend to run independent candidates.[3] The group announced a number of high-profile former independent MP's to join their advisory panel.[4]

The focus of the group is to get more people on the crossbench who aim to strengthen climate policy.[5] Because much of their activity happens in Liberal held seats, various members of the Liberal party have attacked them as a front for the Greens, and questioned where their money comes from, and asking the Australian Electoral Commission to look into their finances.[3][5]

In October 2021 the group announced that they had raised $2 million in 6 weeks.[6] The group has also conducted polling in some of the seats that they planned to support.[7]

People involved

Advisors

Donors

References
  1. "Climate 200: Fighting for science-based climate policy". www.climate200.com.au. Retrieved 2021-10-13.
  2. "Why Liddell is likely to close in 2022, and why you shouldn't care | Simon Holmes à Court". the Guardian. 2018-04-09. Retrieved 2021-10-13.
  3. O'Malley, Nick (2021-09-03). "Political forces back independent candidates in climate change power bid". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2021-10-13.
  4. "Former Liberal MP Julia Banks will join Climate 200 group to support independents". the Guardian. 2021-09-08. Retrieved 2021-10-13.
  5. "Inside the fight to control the climate agenda in the next parliament". Crikey. 2020-11-23. Retrieved 2021-10-13.
  6. "Climate 200 raises $2m in six weeks to help independents but expects Liberal party 'interference'". the Guardian. 2021-10-07. Retrieved 2021-10-13.
  7. "Voters in Sydney's Liberal 'heartland' more worried about climate than Covid, polling suggests". the Guardian. 2021-08-23. Retrieved 2021-10-13.
  8. "'Keep the bastards honest': former Australian Democrats leader joins high-profile group backing independents". the Guardian. 2021-11-25. Retrieved 2021-11-26.
  9. "Windsor and Oakeshott ride again in push to bring climate to forefront". Crikey. 2021-10-01. Retrieved 2021-10-13.
  10. Hutchinson, Stephen Brook, Samantha (2021-12-05). "Milgrom family take a stand to save the planet". The Age. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
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