Record-Breaking Campaign Secures Bradfield for Teal Independent
Newly released political donations data has revealed that Bradfield MP Nicolette Boele spent a staggering $2.26 million to secure her narrow victory in the 2025 federal election. This expenditure makes her campaign the most costly of any teal independent candidate, highlighting the significant financial resources required to challenge established major parties in traditionally safe seats.
A Victory by the Slimmest of Margins
Boele's triumph was secured by a mere 26 votes after a full recount ordered by the Australian Electoral Commission. This followed an initial preference distribution that had Liberal candidate Gisele Kapterian ahead by just eight votes. The final result made Bradfield the tightest contest of the entire 2025 election, with Kapterian eventually withdrawing her legal challenge 145 days after polling day.
The Sydney north shore electorate, previously considered a blue-ribbon Liberal stronghold, has now joined other affluent urban seats that have shifted toward climate-focused independents in recent electoral cycles.
Climate 200's Substantial Financial Backing
According to the AEC data released this week, Boele received substantial financial support from the climate-focused political campaign group Climate 200. The independent MP received $696,000 in direct donations from the organisation, plus an additional $265,057 classified as "other receipts", which can include membership fees, corporate sponsorship, grants, or contractual arrangements.
Climate 200 emerged as a significant financial player during the election period, spending just under $25.87 million as a registered "significant third party" under AEC regulations. This included approximately $14 million in donations to candidates and other third-party campaigners, plus nearly $5 million specifically allocated to federal election activities.
Comparing Campaign Expenditures Across the Teal Movement
Boele's campaign spending exceeded that of other prominent teal independents. She outspent both Allegra Spender and Monique Ryan, who each allocated approximately $2.1 million during their successful 2022 campaigns but reduced their expenditures to under $1.9 million for the 2025 election.
The Bradfield campaign also surpassed the $2 million spent by Climate 200-backed candidate Alex Dyson in his unsuccessful bid for the Victorian seat of Wannon. Meanwhile, former independent Zoe Daniel, who lost her Goldstein seat to Liberal Tim Wilson, spent $1.8 million on her re-election effort.
Major Donors and Disclosure Details
Beyond Climate 200's contributions, Boele's campaign attracted significant support from key individual backers. Prominent Climate 200 supporter Robert Keldoulis contributed over $92,000 through his investment company and an additional $170,000 personally.
Boele's disclosure documents reveal she received nearly $1 million in donations below the $16,900 disclosure threshold, highlighting the broad base of community support for her campaign. In a statement to media, Boele emphasised the importance of these smaller contributions, stating they help "level the playing field" against major parties with institutional backing.
Implications of New Political Donation Regulations
The record-breaking campaign expenditure occurs against a backdrop of significant changes to Australia's political donation laws. New regulations taking effect from 1 July will reduce the disclosure threshold from $16,900 to $5,000 and impose a $50,000 cap on individual donations to political candidates.
Boele has expressed concern that these changes will disadvantage independent candidates, arguing they will make it "harder for independents to compete" while major parties can still access substantial funding through mechanisms like "nominated entities"—organisations that can transfer money to political parties without these transactions being classified as donations.
The Broader Context of Political Funding in Australia
The 2025 federal election set a new record for political donations in Australia, with significant sums flowing to candidates across the political spectrum. Mining magnate Gina Rinehart's company donated nearly $900,000 to the right-wing advocacy group Advance, while Clive Palmer emerged as the largest single donor, contributing $53 million to his Trumpet of Patriots party.
A Climate 200 spokesperson noted that despite being outspent "more than 10 to 1" by major parties during the election, community-backed independents made significant gains, with ten candidates coming closer to victory in 2025 than Boele had in her previous campaign.
The spokesperson added that Climate 200 received donations from 33,000 individual donors supporting 35 independent campaigns nationwide, demonstrating growing public appetite for alternatives to traditional party politics.
