Simon Holmes à Court has backed the chances of an independent candidate unseating a federal Labor MP at the next election, saying ACT voters want alternative representation.
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The businessman and founder of the Climate 200 political fundraising body said Canberra Independent senator David Pocock had changed the political landscape in the territory.
"I think there's a Pocock effect in the ACT," Mr Holmes à Court told ABC Radio National on Thursday morning.
"People like what they see and they're thinking a lot about independents at both the territory government level, but also in the [federal parliamentary] lower house."
He said it was "a very live possibility" that a community independent candidate could win a federal Labor seat at the election due by May, in what would be a national first.
The so-called Teal independents who swept into Parliament in 2019, then again at the 2022 election, had targeted disaffected voters in traditionally Liberal seats where frustrations over the Coalition's climate policies created a fertile ground for independents to campaign.
Community independent groups are now targeting two Labor-held federal seats in the ACT: David Smith's electorate of Bean in the south and a recently-formed group looking for a candidate to challenge Alicia Payne in the seat of Canberra.
Both groups hope their candidates will be chosen to receive Climate 200 backing, including initial funding from its $1 million community accelerator fund.
The Canberra Times has confirmed that Mr Holmes à Court's comments are in reference to the Voices of Bean group, which launched in April.
Traditionally safe Labor seats in focus
Labor MP David Smith holds Bean, which takes in Tuggeranong, the Lanyon Valley, Woden, Weston Creek and the Molonglo Valley, on a safe margin of 12.9 per cent.
But the Climate 200 founder said ACT voters were more inclined to back an independent after seeing David Pocock elected to the Senate in 2022.
"About a third of Australians put their vote in someone other than the duopoly [of Labor and the Coalition]," Mr Holmes à Court said.
"I wouldn't be surprised if that trend continues; people are disillusioned with the major parties, especially on climate but also on cost of living or integrity, on gender equity.
"Those issues are still, people feel that the major parties are not answering their questions there. And they've got a taste for this community independents model. They see the independents in Canberra, and a lot of people are looking at that going 'well, why can't we have one?' And communities can have one."
Independents' push 'good for democracy': Pocock
Senator Pocock's campaign to blast former Liberal Zed Seselja out of the Federal Parliament at the 2022 election cost almost $1.8 million, with close to half funded by Climate 200.
Senator Pocock said he believed Canberrans saw "value in genuine community representation".
"Having people in parliament who are backed by and accountable to their communities and who aren't afraid to stand up to the major parties on issues that matter is good for our democracy," he said in a statement.
"I'm working hard to represent Canberrans, and be accessible and accountable to them."
Senator Pocock said the key ingredients for a successful independent challenge were "community backing, an active volunteer base, a good candidate and a path to victory."
"We've seen campaigns from independents succeed in areas where the community doesn't feel heard or adequately represented," he said.
Senator Pocock will speak at the Community Independents Project's People Powered Politics online convention, which is being held on 21 to 22 June.
The convention will bring together independent MPs and Senators - including Allegra Spender, Kate Chaney, Zali Steggall, Sophie Scamps, Kylea Tink, Helen Haines and Zoe Daniel - and those who ran their successful campaigns.
Senator Pocock will participate in a panel discussion with Sue Barrett and Kooyong independent MP Monique Ryan about "the impact of having a strong independent voice in the Senate, how this has reinvigorated the Senate and forced doing politics differently", as well as how lower house independents can work with the Senate to push for reforms.