Independent candidates Allegra Spender, Zoe Daniel and Kylea Tink (Images: Supplied, AAP)

There are common themes among many of the independents candidates challenging incumbents in blue-chip Liberal seats. They are highly educated women with successful professional careers, campaigning on climate action and a federal integrity commission. They have all supported the Liberal Party at times but now believe moderate Liberal voters are looking elsewhere for a candidate to support.

Why are these women gearing up to disrupt Parliament? And what does the consistency of their profiles and messages say about the independent movement in Australia? Crikey spoke to three of them who have launched their campaigns: Zoe Daniel in Goldstein, Allegra Spender in Wentworth, and Kylea Tink in North Sydney.

Women in high places

A notable trend is that they are all overwhelmingly high-profile women. Daniel spent almost 30 years as a journalist with the ABC, Spender was the managing director of Australian fashion house Carla Zampatti, and Tink has extensive experience as CEO of various charities.

After a terrible year for women in Parliament — starting with Brittany Higgins’ allegations of rape and ending with the release this week of the damning Jenkins report — Tink says that although many of the independents would “usually turn to the Liberals … there’s no place for us in that party at the moment”. 

Daniel says the candidates are all “professional women, of a similar age, with a lot of capacity, who have got to the point where they want to step in and do something”. 

Reflecting on a number of high-profile moderate Liberal women leaving politics in recent years, Daniel says “what happened to [former foreign affairs minister] Julie Bishop was really disappointing” and acknowledged that Bishop’s experience might have been “a subliminal motivating factor”.  

All the candidates agreed that sex discrimination commissioner Kate Jenkins’ report has further highlighted the need for more women in Parliament and more action on gender equality. 

“The culture [in Parliament] is not one that we want for the country,” Spender said. “It feels like it’s not going to change from within. That’s why a lot of women feel they need to step up, because otherwise how will it change?”

Committed to integrity and climate

An independent integrity commission and decisive action on climate change are the two platforms that have been the central focus of independents already in Parliament, and those hoping to be there next year.

Tink says the votes against motions brought by independent member for Warringah Zali Steggall on climate change and independent member for Indi Helen Haines on an integrity commission as examples of moderate Liberals voting against the interests of their electorates (an exception being Bridget Archer who crossed the floor last week to support Haines).

The two issues have clearly tapped into strongly held sentiments in the electorate, with the potential to galvanise long-held Liberal seats to vote independent.

Every vote counts

Voting records represent an important point of difference for the candidates, and one of their key messages is that the Liberal incumbent in each case has professed to be a moderate but has the same voting record as Nationals’ leader Barnaby Joyce. 

To get this point across, each candidate says they are actively engaged with their constituents in a form of direct democracy. Spender says the independent movement is founded on “listening and not telling”. 

Daniel says she “won’t be voting with the Nationals on issues that matter to the people of Goldstein against their will”. Instead every vote will be a “conscience vote”.

Tink thinks the opinions of North Sydney are being “completely subsumed by the party system, which has seen our vote cast in identical fashion to Barnaby Joyce, even though he represents an entirely different electorate”.

It’s hard to say how successful the movement will be. Steggall was propelled by a protest vote against Tony Abbott in Warringah, and Kerryn Phelps rode the wave of resentment in Wentworth over the dumping of Malcolm Turnbull (losing the seat seven months later to the Liberals’ Dave Sharma after an expensive fight).

What we do know though is that this movement is growing and it has significant backing, both financial and political, and its key messages on climate and integrity are proving hard to ignore.

Will you be voting independent? Let us know your thoughts by writing to letters@crikey.com.au. Please include your full name if you would like to be considered for publication in Crikey’s Your Say column. We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity.