# Teal MPs decry anonymous ‘push poll’ sent to voters in two independent seats

Independent MPs and transparency advocates have criticised a “blatant push poll” targeting voters in two teal-held seats, with one labelling it an “affront to democracy”.

## Anonymous push polling

Push polling is a negative campaigning technique that uses loaded questions in an attempt to sway the respondent’s position.

The “electoral poll” conducted by “Intelligent Dialogue” in the past week asked respondents in Zoe Daniel’s Melbourne seat of Goldstein and the Sydney seat of Wentworth, held by Allegra Spender, to select which candidate would receive their vote if an election was held today.

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If respondents chose someone other than Daniel or Spender, the survey concluded.

But if they selected the teal MP, they were asked two additional questions.

The first read: “ is a teal MP who receives significant funding from Simon Holmes à Court, a billionaire investor. Some people are concerned that it makes her and other teals less independent. Do you agree or disagree?”

Daniel received $710,000 from the Holmes à Court-led Climate 200 fundraising vehicle to fight the 2022 election, and has been handed a further  ahead of this year’s poll.

However, Australian Electoral Commission figures and disclosures to her personal website show she has not received donations directly from Holmes à Court, who is the son of a billionaire but not one himself.

The same goes for Spender.

She received more than $600,000 from Climate 200 before the 2022 election, and $250,310 since, according to figures from the AEC and her .

The teal independents and Holmes à Court himself have repeatedly said the clean energy advocate does not influence the Climate 200-backed MPs.

The second question asks: “ has said she was open to looking at an increase to the GST as part of her ideas for tax reform. Do you support an increase to the GST? Yes or No?”

Daniel in 2023 said there was a  to increase the tax on consumption provided low-income households were compensated, while Spender has said GST should be “on the table” in a wide-ranging review of the tax system.

Daniel described the survey as “dirty tactics” which were designed to sow discord in voters’ minds.

“I think it’s unethical, and I think it’s an affront to democracy, and I think it’s insulting to voters,” she said.

Daniel said she believed the Liberal party was behind the “push poll”, but could not produce evidence.

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Climate 200 to help bankroll candidates in four Labor seats at federal election

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## Climate 200 to help bankroll candidates in four Labor seats at federal election

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## Daniel’s position

“I’m up for a proper policy debate on the long-term economic reform our country needs, but this kind of blatant push polling is designed to divide opinions and stall reform,” she said.

“People in Wentworth know what I stand for and see through this.”

Clancy Moore, the chief executive of Transparency International Australia, said “blatant partisan push polling has no place in a healthy democracy”.

“The lack of transparency as to who is funding, or ultimately behind, this shambolic attempt at ‘research’ should be a concern for voters,” he said.

“Given it appears, albeit a poor attempt, to influence voters against sitting MPs, it could be considered ‘electoral matter’ under the Electorate Act and thus require disclosure of who is behind the communications.”
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