It’s all in the name. Community Independents are members of your community who are committed to doing politics differently to the major parties. 

Community Independents have been changing Australian politics for the better since 2013, by coming from grassroots movements funded by people like you. We do not answer to a political party, big business or lobbyists. We answer, gladly, to the communities that elect us.

Unlike other independents who are usually self-nominated, Community Independent candidates are chosen and endorsed by locals.

Community Independents:

• genuinely represent their community;
• reflect the values and views of their electorates;
• have a mandate from their community that guides their actions;
• empower their communities to collaborate and actively participate in politics;
• co-create real political change in WA and Australia with their communities.

Last year, Fremantle locals came together as Voices for Fremantle, and undertook a six-month consultation to hear the wants and needs of the community. This process led to a search for a candidate that could truly serve those wants and needs.

Voices for Fremantle decided to invite me to run as a Community Independent for Fremantle in the WA State Election.

Honestly, I never intended to run and I had no ambitions to be a politician, but I feel too strongly about achieving better representation and better outcomes from our government to refuse this call.

Our groundbreaking state campaign was a major wake up call for Labor. In just eight weeks of campaigning, we got within 424 votes of winning a 100-year-old safe Labor seat. 

Fremantle’s support for a Community Independent was clear, and in the weeks following the state election, I was asked by locals to continue the campaign and take it all the way to Canberra. I am excited to have the chance to represent even more of you in the federal election.

I have long believed the two major parties fail to serve Australians and that we need more ‘regular’ people with ‘everyday’ jobs in parliament to fix this problem.

Now, I am more motivated than ever to challenge the two major parties and achieve change for the future.

No. A vote for a Community Independent is an extremely effective way to show the major parties you're unhappy with their leadership. If you want to vote independent or for a minor party, but also want to ensure a major party is kept out of government, you can put that party last on your ballot paper. This ensures that your vote will not flow to them, no matter what. This is the beauty of our preferential voting system.

The more independent voices we have in parliament, the better they will be able to hold the major parties to account.

If elected, I will be your voice in the lower house of the Australian Federal Parliament, which is a responsibility I take extremely seriously. I could be voting on issues ranging from defence to healthcare.

As a Community Independent, my priority is to act on the needs and concerns of the entire electorate, even the people that did not vote for me.

I will not be voting based on a political party agenda, but the genuine views of the community and the best available advice and evidence.

I pledge to remain transparent about how I reach decisions or why I vote a certain way in parliament. This is not something we get from the major parties.

At the moment, a lot of people feel like it is impossible to get the major parties to listen, so there is no point trying. This is the reason Community Independents are winning seats across the country.

We want to bring the discussion to you, make sure you know what is going on in politics, and give you the chance to express your opinion on each issue. I want to help you shape our country, by being a direct line between you and Canberra.

How will we do this?

• Town halls and public meet ups
• Workshops and feedback sessions
• Small group conversations
• Online forums and surveys
• Office volunteer opportunities for community members

While I am your representative, I will be open and honest with you about what is going on in parliament. If we put in the work, we can create the kind of change that feels impossible right now, and get better outcomes for all of us.

My donations are voluntarily published in real time on my Supporter Wall, so you know where my campaign funding is coming from.

When I ran in the WA State Election, funding came from:

• More than 120 local donors (around 40%)
• Climate 200 (40%)
• Philanthropic donations (20%)

Our ample fundraising at the state election was thanks to an incredible outpouring from the community. We are currently raising funds for the federal campaign.

Climate 200 is a platform that raises and collects donations from more than 50,000 people across Australia in order to support community-backed independent political campaigns.

Climate 200 grants funding to independent candidates who:

• Have the support of a grassroots community group (Voices for Fremantle)
• Have a real chance of election
• Are committed to advancing:
  • a science-based response to the climate crisis;
  • integrity in politics, and;
  • respect and safety for women.

To be successful in an application for funding, candidates must also complete a vetting process and prove they have the right team and leadership abilities needed to run a successful campaign.

Climate 200 does not start campaigns, choose candidates, speak for candidates, dictate policies, or have members. It simply supports independent political candidates who are legitimately chosen by the community.

Simon Holmes à Court founded Climate 200 in the lead up to the 2019 federal election. He contributes his time to Climate 200 on a voluntary basis, and receives no salary. His contribution to the organisation represents about 2% of the total funds Climate 200 has received.

No, I have never been a member of a political party.