New Political Force Emerges with Unique Structure

Independent Members of Parliament Allegra Spender and Zali Steggall have announced the formation of a new political party, aiming to consolidate the influence of community-focused independents. The entity, named Community Strong Australia, was launched on Thursday and is designed to transition a loosely aligned group of independents into a more cohesive political movement.

Emphasis on Autonomy and Community Voice

Allegra Spender, the representative for Wentworth, emphasized that the party’s model will diverge from traditional political structures. She stated that participating Members of Parliament will retain complete autonomy over their voting decisions, a core tenet of the independent movement. “This is not a traditional party. MPs will vote freely on each and every issue,” Spender explained.

Unlike established parties, Community Strong Australia will not require formal membership. The organization is not yet officially registered and currently has no designated leaders or candidates. Spender highlighted that this structure is intended to preserve the independence that has been central to the success of the ‘Teals’ (a bloc of independent and minor party candidates often focused on climate action and integrity), while simultaneously fostering greater collaboration across electorates.

“Community will remain at the core of policy development, alongside advice from experts. This movement started with the community, and that is where it will stay,” Spender added, underscoring the party’s grassroots origins.

Notable Independents Decline to Join

Several prominent independent MPs, including Monique Ryan, Helen Haines, and Andrew Wilkie, have indicated they will not be joining the proposed party.

Criticism from Political Opponents

The announcement has drawn criticism from political opponents. Ro Knox, a former Liberal candidate who contested the seat of Wentworth against Spender, expressed concern about the move. “The move to form a party contradicts Allegra Spender’s and Zali Steggall’s promise to their electorates that they would remain independent,” Knox stated. “This move also directly contradicts their position, which demonised parties and stated their very power and value came from being independent.”

Knox also raised questions regarding Spender’s past financial support, particularly from Climate 200 and its convenor Simon Holmes à Court. “It is also unclear to me how Allegra Spender can step back from Climate 200 and Simon Holmes à Court given the vast amounts of capital poured into her campaign in 2022 and 2025,” she commented.

Katherine Deves, another former Liberal candidate, also accused Spender and Steggall of misrepresenting their political alignment through the new party. “We all know they are Teals and they have been a party all along, so why maintain the pretence by calling themselves a community party?” Deves remarked. “Thankfully the good people of Warringah and Wentworth aren’t silly and they will see straight through this.”

Party’s Objectives and Electoral Considerations

In a social media statement, Spender articulated that the new party aims to expand the ‘community-first’ model that propelled climate-focused independents into Parliament. “Community Strong Australia is about extending that opportunity to more Australians, amplifying what we’ve built into a political force that can have real impact across the country,” she explained. “That means evidence-based policy developed with communities, not vested interests; MPs who vote for their community, not a party line.”

Addressing the criticism, Spender refuted claims that the change vindicated her opponents. “What we’re building now is the ability to do that in more communities, and also in the Senate,” she said. “In terms of policy, there are already many areas where Zali and I have worked together and agree, and we’ll continue to build on that.”

The formation of the party is also influenced by electoral mechanics, particularly concerning Senate campaigns, where party registration can provide significant structural advantages. “This party will give us the ability to support candidates in both houses, as you need a party structure to run in the Senate,” Spender noted. “It will also allow us to give support to more communities who want community-first candidates representing them.”

Recent reforms to electoral funding have also escalated the stakes, with independents expressing concerns that the changes favor established parties with substantial national spending capabilities, while potentially limiting fundraising avenues like Climate 200. Spender also indicated that major donors, including Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar, have not been approached to contribute to the new entity.