The Big Teal

The Big Teal by Simon Holmes à Court explores a pivotal moment in Australian politics, marked by the May 2022 election. The election signaled the re-engagement of those who felt ignored and patronised on crucial issues such as climate, integrity, and gender equity—particularly women and younger voters who were infuriated by Scott Morrison’s dismissive remarks.

The electoral map underwent a dramatic transformation, with the triumph of the 'teals'. This wasn't entirely unexpected by those assisting their rise, like Simon Holmes à Court, founder of Climate 200. As Australia entered a lost decade on climate action, Holmes à Court recognised the limitations of traditional advocacy. The election of Cathy McGowan as a community independent in 2013 offered a new blueprint for political engagement. From this inspiration, Climate 200 emerged as a crowdfunded initiative providing the resources and expertise needed to invigorate a grassroots movement across more than thirty electorates.

Despite a relentless and increasingly harsh campaign against Holmes à Court and the candidates from the Liberals, who were assisted by their media allies, the election resulted in six new community independent MPs and one senator. This marked a victory of facts over fear and priorities over prejudice. It challenged the outdated 'majoritariat' and rejected the false binary choices between parties that no longer reflected the aspirations and complexities of modern democratic Australia.

The Big Teal tells the story of how a diverse team of young tech enthusiasts and experienced advisors leveraged their real-world and virtual expertise to help communities achieve the representation they had long sought.