Teal independents, simply known as teals and also called community independents, are various centrist, independent or minor party politicians in Australian politics who have been grouped together collectively for ease of discussion by the media in Australia. They have been characterised as strongly advocating for increased action to mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions along with improved political integrity and accountability. They also generally share socially liberal outlooks, including on issues such as LGBT rights, and have harnessed grassroots campaigning to achieve strong swings towards them.
The eponymous colour teal, which has been interpreted by some journalists as a blend of the blue of the Liberal Party and a green signifying green politics,[1][2] was a dominant feature of campaign branding used by high-profile independent candidates Zali Steggall, Allegra Spender, Monique Ryan, Kate Chaney, Zoe Daniel and Sophie Scamps;[3][4] however, not all candidates used the colour.
The most significant impact of candidates usually described in this grouping came in the 2022 Australian federal election, with 7 seats won in the House of Representatives seats and 1 winning a Senate seat. The fact that these candidates all won seats that were previously held by the Liberal Party has lead to significant attacks from the right wing of the political spectrum and from pro-Liberal Party Australian news media.
The members accept the "teal" moniker but reject attack lines that suggest the group function as a political party and that their policy platforms are not truly independent.
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