New Centrist Party Found in Australia: MPs Aim for Unity Over Division

Fri Jul 10 2026 17:35:18 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Two independent Australian MPs have launched a centrist party offering "reason over rage" and a no‑leader system as a réponse to the country’s two‑party dominance.

Sydney MPs Zali Steggall and Allegra Spender have unveiled the Community Strong Australia party, pledging unity over division and no single leader. The duo claims the new party will allow members to vote freely and address key issues such as housing, climate, and health. They say the move responds to growing voter frustration, especially after the rise of One Nation, and is not backed by Climate 200. Registration will be finalised by the Australian Electoral Commission in October, signalling a potential third force in national politics.

New Centrist Party Found in Australia: MPs Aim for Unity Over Division

Allegra Spender and Zali Steggall standing outside the Australian Parliament — Allegra Spender (left) and Zali Steggall say their new party will offer "reason over rage".

Two independent Australian MPs have joined forces to launch a new centrist party, the Community Strong Australia party, amid a political climate that some feel is increasingly divisive.

The party, formed in Canberra on Thursday, promises to put “unity over division and reason over rage” at its core, declaring it will have no single leader and that members will be able to vote independently rather than along strict party lines.

Both MPs, Sydney representatives Zali Steggall and Allegra Spender, belong to the wave of independent “teal” candidates who champion socially liberal values and stronger climate action.

By establishing an alternate political force, the pair aim to challenge the traditional dominance of Australia’s centre‑left Labor and centre‑right Liberal‑Nationals Coalition.

Following Labour’s landslide victory at last year’s federal election and the Coalition’s steep decline, right‑wing nationalist One Nation has seen a surge in support, including a recent poll that found Pauline Hanson's party preferred a Prime Minister. Steggall and Spender said they were motivated by the frustrations of voters in the wake of that shift.

“We absolutely hear those grievances,” Spender said. “People are frustrated and tired of the status quo,” she added, noting that the party would provide “a voice that genuinely reflects their communities.”

Steggall, a former barrister and Winter Olympic medallist, entered parliament in 2019 after defeating long‑time Liberal incumbent and former Prime Minister Tony Abbott. She said the new party intends to sidestep internal infighting and offer practical solutions.

Key policy priorities for the party include housing affordability, cost‑of‑living pressures, climate change, childcare, education, and health care.

Both MPs clarified that Climate 200, a fundraising body that has supported several independent candidates, is not involved in the new party.

Despite potentially heightened campaign budgets under new electoral funding laws, the MPs anticipate that the party’s extra resources will help them compete fairly.

A number of other independent MPs have declined to join, while two additional teal MPs weigh their options. The party’s formal registration with the Australian Electoral Commission is slated for completion in October.