Fifty Shades of Teal

Last year saw independent candidates spectacularly oust Liberal Party stalwarts from once safe seats and upend the electoral rulebook. Hear from a panel with different perspectives as they consider the role of issues like climate action and political integrity in the independent candidates’ victories, what their ascension reveals about the country’s mood for change, and how they might shape our politics into the future. Independent MP Helen Haines, The Big Teal author Simon Holmes à Court and The Teal Revolution: Inside the Movement Changing Australian Politics author Margot Saville speak with Barrie Cassidy.

A Sydney Writers’ Festival Live & Local Livestream event.

ABOUT DR HELEN HAINES

Dr Helen Haines was elected as the Independent Federal Member for Indi in 2019, and re-elected in 2022. Dr Haines has been a champion for integrity and transparency in politics, working with MPs from across Parliament in the campaign to establish a robust federal integrity commission. Before entering politics, Dr Haines worked as a nurse, midwife, health administrator and rural health researcher in Victoria’s North East for more than 30 years. She is a contributor to The Indi Way: how a rural community sparked a social and political movement by Voices for Indi.

ABOUT SIMON HOLMES A COURT

Simon is the founder of Climate 200, the community crowdfunding initiative with 11,200 donors from all 151 electorates across Australia. At the 2022 Federal election, Climate 200’s donors levelled the playing field for climate, integrity and gender equity ambitious community independents, helping to elect seven new independents to the Australian Parliament. He is the author of The Big Teal published in 2022.

ABOUT MARGOT SAVILLE

Margot Saville practised as a lawyer for one year before becoming a journalist in the late 1980s.  She is a freelance writer who has worked at The Australian, ABC Television, the Nine Television Network and is currently published in The Sydney Morning Herald and Crikey.

ABOUT BARRIE CASSIDY

Barrie Cassidy is one of Australia’s most experienced political correspondents and analysts. He was the creator of Insiders on the ABC, a program he hosted for 18 years.