Two Teal MPs Form Community Strong Australia Party

Zali Steggall and Allegra Spender announced the formation of Community Strong Australia on Thursday. The two independent MPs said the party will operate with four stated principles: sensible economic management, climate action, quality, and integrity.

The party structure allows free votes on all issues and has no designated leader. Steggall and Spender described themselves as a team and said they will revisit the leadership model only if the parliamentary caucus reaches ten or more members.

Background on the Teal Seats Steggall won the Sydney seat of Warringah in 2019 by defeating Tony Abbott. Spender captured Wentworth in 2022 after Dave Sharma held the seat. Both electorates had long been considered Liberal heartland. The Liberal Party has since rescinded its formal support for net-zero emissions by 2050.

Political scientist Judith Brett said the party now holds just nine of 88 urban seats classified by the electoral commission.

Steggall said the party will seek support from disaffected moderate Liberals, Labor voters critical of the current government, and swinging voters who want fact-based policy. She noted that many immigrant-background voters support Labor because they view the Liberals as racist.

Kos Samaras of Redbridge said the party could plausibly win seats such as Bennelong, Menzies, Deakin, Mitchell, and Berowra, plus one or two Senate positions. He added that roughly one in six current One Nation voters are there only because they see no alternative.

Spender said they feel a responsibility to confront One Nation, calling its positions dangerous and divisive. Samaras described Pauline Hanson’s recent comments on workers’ rights as the dumbest thing she has done. By registering as a party, Community Strong Australia can offer its name to other community independents, appear above the line on Senate ballots, and access political funding rules that favor established parties.