Teal independents prove they're no one-hit wonders

Perth Now

03-05-2025

Independents are here to stay with teal MPs retaining their seats, largely with more support after making history at the last election.
So-called "teals" Allegra Spender in Wentworth, Zali Steggall in Warringah, Sophie Scamps in Mackellar, Monique Ryan in Kooyong, Zoe Daniel in Goldstein and Kate Chaney in Curtin will return to parliament.
All received swings toward them, apart from Ms Daniel, whose just over three per cent margin was whittled down 1.1 per cent by the Liberals.
They could also be joined by Nicolette Boele, who is ahead with more than half the vote counted after taking a slight swing toward her in the former Liberal heartland of Bradfield in Sydney's north.
Crossbench stalwarts Andrew Wilkie, Helen Haines, Bob Katter and Rebekha Sharkie retained their seats.
Independent candidate Jessie Price is also in the lead in the formerly safe Labor seat of Bean in Canberra, where she claimed a more than 13 per cent swing with more than 70 per cent of the vote counted.
The numbers were looking positive, Ms Scamps told AAP.
The Liberals took a near six per cent swing out of their primary vote in her seat on Sydney's northern beaches while Ms Scamps' primary vote stayed relatively stable on nearly 39 per cent.
"I think it comes down to people seeing that I have been there working hard, doing what I said I would do," she said.
"The Liberal Party threw everything at this seat but when it came down to it ... people wanted hope and positivity."
Independent senator David Pocock claimed a large surge in support to take first spot on the ACT Senate ticket and win a quota in his own right.
He placed ahead of Finance Minister Katy Gallagher, who took the gold last time.
He made history in 2022 by becoming the first independent to unseat a majority party senator in the ACT with the two seats traditionally split one apiece between Labor and the Liberals.