Election
Independents face new challenges
Support for independents still remains high after a record crossbench made it into parliament in 2022, but a number face serious challenges to retain seats. A record number of independents three years ago swept previously safe Liberal seats, after a strong push for more climate action and integrity in politics. They were helped by an unpopular prime minister in Scott Morrison, Liberal infighting over committing to a net-zero emissions target and the pandemic revealing social inequalities that pushed people away from “politics as usual”.
