Climate 200 was again the single largest donor in a federal election campaign, almost doubling its 2022 contribution to Teal candidates in 2025 by handing them $10,857,934 (US$7,063,086).
The group describes itself as a “community crowd-funded initiative that supports political candidates committed to our three shared principles,” namely a science-based response to the climate crisis, restoring integrity to politics and combating corruption, and advancing equality and respect for women.
The group didn’t confine its donations to Teal candidates—a total of 34 people reported receiving various amounts on their electoral returns, including $32,641 given to independent Tasmanian Senator Andrew Wilkie—but it certainly gave them the largest amounts.
The disclosure threshold for the 2025 federal election was $16,900, so all the amounts listed as having been received by any candidate could have been swelled by multiple donations of less than that amount.
Of the Teals who made it into Parliament, Monique Ryan received the biggest amount in donations, with a total of $1,905,102. Not all of that was from Climate 200, with other donors contributing amounts ranging from $30 to over $100,000.
Climate 200 convenor Simon Holmes a Court personally gave her $20,232, including two donations of one dollar.
Ryan used $1,874,118 on her campaign, which was markedly less than the $2,122,000 she spent in 2022.
Fellow Teal MP Allegra Spender spent more—$1,900,722—on her campaign but received less—$1,743,971—in disclosed donations. Her spending was also down on the $2,124,000 she paid out in 2022.
But the biggest spender of the Climate 200-backed candidates was Caz Heise, who ran for the seat of Cowper on the NSW north coast, but lost to the National’s Pat Conaghan.
Heise received $2,141,655 to fund her second attempt at the seat, and spent $1,994,969 on her campaign.
Former radio host Alex Dyson, who made his third attempt at taking the regional Victorian seat of Wannon, received even more in donations— $2,186,936—but spent less than half of it, declaring $1,086,054. He too lost, to the Liberal’s Dan Teehan.
Zoe Daniel—a prominent MP in the previous Parliamentary term—took Liberal Tim Wilson to a recount inner Melbourne seat of Goldstein, but was ultimately defeated.
She received $1,834,832 in declared donations and spent $1,795,594.
Other successful Teal candidates, Sophie Scamps and Kate Chaney, received almost as much—$1,729,956 and $1,484,647, respectively.
However, Zali Steggall received much less support to hold her seat of Warringah, receiving $789,736 and spending $726,737 on her campaign.
Despite its avowed focus on climate, Climate 200 appears not to have donated to any Greens, with the entire slate of candidates declaring no donations over the threshold.
The group received $9,458,559 in declarable donations.
