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BUSINESS NEWSWIRE • CITY OF SYDNEY NEWS • Climate Change & Energy • CLIMATE, ENVIRONMENT & DISASTER • FEDERAL ELECTION 2025

What the heck have the Independents achieved?

7 March 2025
by Media Release
Written by Media Release

Sydney,06 march, 2025

*2025 Federal Election publicity content and information published and vetted/checked by Sydney Times Editor A.Ritenis

So far ,…Independents have helped deliver the following:

  • 🌍
    The strongest climate action in a decade
  • 👩🏽‍⚖️
    The National Anti-Corruption Commission
  • ⛔️
    Stronger penalties for politicians behaving badly
  • ⚡️
    Twice the amount of clean energy into our grid (82% by 2030!)
  • 🚰
    Water protection from gas fracking
  • 🌲
    Support for landowners to invest in nature conservation
  • 🚗
    Cleaner cars for the Australian market
  • 🏡
    Direct support for households to be more energy efficient
  • 🏄🏼
    Stopping offshore oil and gas drilling between Sydney and Newcastle
  • 🧑‍🎓
    Billions wiped off student debt
  • 👩🏻‍🍼
    Better wages for childcare workers
  • 👭
    The most women in parliament on record

Oh yeah, not bad.
What else, though?

Well, they’re not done yet!

This is what they’re fighting for 🥊

  • 📣
    Stronger protections for whistleblowers
  • 🫥
    Greater transparency over lobbyists
  • 🗳️
    Stopping vote buying through pork barreling
  • 🫱🏻‍🫲🏽
    Ending ‘jobs for mates’ culture
  • 🤥
    Banning parties lying in their political advertising material
  • 🐠
    Protection for WA’s Stott Reef and the Northern Territory from major gas projects
  • 💸
    Rules to stop multinational companies avoiding tax
  • 📉
    More ambitious targets for cutting pollution
  • 🔥
    Phasing out coal, oil and gas projects
  • 🪵
    A new federal agency to stop illegal land clearing
  • 👶🏼
    Stronger environmental impact considerations for future generations
  • 🧸
    Cheaper childcare and longer parental leave
  • 🎰
    Restricting gambling and junk food ads

Yeah cool, but give me more detail ↓

Fighting Corruption 😈🥊

Here’s what they’ve helped achieve 👇

National Anti-Corruption Commission:

Led by Independent MPs Cathy McGowan and Helen Haines, Australia now has a federal watchdog tasked with investigating corruption at the highest level.

See SMH ,“Once in a generation’ reform: Haines pushes for integrity body to have broader powers” (August 2022)

Stronger penalties for parliamentary misconduct:

From fines to removal from committees or even suspension, bad behaviour in Parliament now comes at a real cost.

Details in News.com, “Badly behaving MPs to face tough new penalties under new laws (August 2024)

What they’re still fighting for 👇

Protection for whistleblowers

So people can report corruption without getting punished

See HRLC, “Crossbench bill paves the way for landmark whistleblower protections” (February 2025).

Transparency over lobbyists

So we know who is trying to influence politicians, and why

See The Guardian, “David Pocock accuses major parties of ‘kicking can down the road’ on lobbying reforms” (May 2024)

Transparency over political donations

So we know who is funding political campaigns

See ABC 7.30 – “Teal independents calling for transparency in the electoral system” (November 2023)

Stopping pork barreling

So governments stop wasting money trying to buy votes

See The Conversation, “Independent MP Helen Haines has a plan to stamp out pork-barrelling.” (February 2024)

Ending ‘jobs for mates’

So people with the best experience get the important public jobs, not those with the best connections

See Women’s Agenda – “Dr Sophie Scamps introduces new plan to end ‘jobs for mates’ in politics” (March 2023)

Banning lies in paid political ads

So politicians and political entities can’t lie to you

See AFR, “Teals to demand truth in advertising laws in hung parliament” (January 2025)

Cleaning up pollution 💩🧹

Here’s what they’ve helped achieve 👇

Legislated climate action

A legislated target for cutting pollution and building a roadmap to net-zero by 2050

See ABC News – “Climate target bill passes lower house after being amended by Greens and ‘teal’ crossbenchers” (August 2022)

Cut emissions from the biggest polluters

The biggest companies need to cut their pollution by 5% each year

See The Guardian, “Crossbench push Albanese government for ‘absolute cap’ on carbon emissions” (March 2023)

Doubled the renewable energy target

New policies to accelerate investment in renewable energy are helping us transition our grid to be 82% renewable by 2030.

See RenewEconomy, “Tidal wave” of big batteries and record solar and wind put 2030 renewables target within reach” (December 2024)

Helped landowners invest in nature conservation

Landowners can earn money doing biodiversity and conservation work

See The Guardian, “Teal MPs criticise Greens’ ‘short-sighted’ opposition to Labor’s planned nature repair market” (June 2023)

Protected water from gas fracking

The federal environment minister now has to approve gas projects if they impact precious water (adding accountability)

See The Guardian, “Pressure mounts on Tanya Plibersek to assess water impacts of NT Beetaloo Basin fracking project” (June 2024)

Got cleaner and more efficient cars to Australia

Better standards for new cars means we will prevent up to 20 million tonnes of pollution by 2030 and save drivers up to $10,000

See Climate Council, “10 things you should know about Fuel Efficiency Standards” (May 2024)

Helped households with energy efficiency upgrades

With support to buy cleaner electric appliances, cutting pollution and energy bills

See The Guardian, “Suburb-wide electrification trials to be rolled out across Australia in bid to fuel transition away from gas” (January 2025)

Banned oil and gas off the NSW coast

The controversial Pep-11 project is now banned by state and federal governments

See Northern Beaches Advocate, “Commonwealth kills Pep-11” (January 2025)

What they’re still fighting for 👇

More ambition for cutting pollution

A 75% emissions reduction cut by 2030, let’s go!

See The Australian, “Zali Steggall and teals demand 75pc emissions cut target by 2035” (September 2024).

A new federal agency to stop illegal land clearing

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek and the crossbench negotiated hard to deliver a strong bill (which fell over in the Senate when the Prime Minister took it off the table)

See The Australian “Greens and Senate crossbenchers want deal on Environment Protection Australia” (September 2024).

Stronger environmental impact considerations for future generations

David Pocock co-sponsored a bill presented by young people, asking politicians to recognise the impact their decisions on future generations

See the Duty of Care Bill website

An end to new gas drilling

A number of Independent MPs are asking for an end to new gas projects, including Middle Arm in the Northern Territory and Woodside’s offshore gas project threatening Stott Reef

See The Australian, “Hung parliament would see huge pressure on gas” (August 2024).

But that’s not all! They’ve supported:

And they’re also fighting for

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