Climate 200 kicks off support for Victorian election community independents
Climate 200
Climate 200 kicks off support for Victorian election community independents
Tuesday 15 September 2026
Climate 200 founder and Co-Convenor Simon Holmes à Court, Co-Convenor Kate Hook and Executive Director Byron Fay are in Melbourne today to meet with supporters backing climate-friendly community independents contesting November’s Victorian state election.
They will be joined at the event by community independent candidates Sophie Torney (running in Kew against Liberal leader Jess Wilson), Shima Ibuki (running in Hawthorn against former Liberal leader John Pesutto) and the newly-announced community-backed independent candidate for Mornington, Melissa Goffin (running in Mornington against the Liberal’s Shadow Assistant Treasurer Chris Crewther).
The candidates and Climate 200 team will be discussing what’s at stake at the upcoming state election, and how these community independent campaigns are providing a strategic counterweight to the pull of One Nation on the Liberals.
Event details:
Date & Time: Tuesday 15 September, 7pm - 8:30pm
Location: Hawthorn Arts Centre, Main Hall (360 Burwood Road, Hawthorn)
Speakers: Sophie Torney (Independent candidate for Kew), Shima Ibuki (Independent candidate for Hawthorn) and Melissa Goffin (Independent candidate for Mornington), along with Climate 200 Co-Convenors Simon Holmes à Court and Kate Hook and Executive Director Byron Fay.
Further information: https://www.climate200.com.au/event/vic-state-kickoff26
Climate 200 Executive Director Byron Fay said these campaigns are providing a strategic counterweight to the pull of One Nation on the Liberals.
“They are creating a very real personal cost to the Liberals' senior leadership from chasing One Nation down the path of climate denialism and xenophobia.”
“If you want to send the message to the Liberals that cosying up to One Nation has a cost, these are the campaigns to get behind.”
Climate 200 founder Simon Holmes à Court said tonight was an important event in the democratic revival offered by the community independents movement — tens of thousands of Australians working together to restore genuine representation to Australian parliaments.
“Climate 200 now has over 35,000 active supporters across Australia, including thousands in Victoria. There is a real thirst for the community-driven model that’s delivered independents like Monique Ryan and David Pocock, who are leading on critically important issues the major parties are too scared to touch, like genuine gambling ad reform and the gas tax.”
Climate 200 backs community-selected independents committed to: a science-based response to the climate crisis, restoring integrity to politics and tackling corruption, and advancing the safety and treatment of women.
Since 2019, Climate 200 has supported 16 independents to be elected to state and federal parliaments.
Simon Holmes à Court and Byron Fay are available for media comment today. Please call Phil Davey on 0414 867 188.