Curtin independent Kate Chaney says Seven West Media is running a smear campaign against her, and fired back at columnist Ben Harvey’s assertion people were “f***ing idiots” for voting for a teal.
Curtin independent Kate Chaney says Seven West Media is running a smear campaign against her, and fired back at columnist Ben Harvey’s assertion people were “f***ing idiots” for voting for a teal.
In a statement today, Ms Chaney said the Kerry Stokes-backed media giant had come for her, and other teals.
“Australia’s political landscape is shifting and the vested interests who’ve benefited from the old system are pushing back,” Ms Chaney said.
“The more they feel their influence slipping, the harder they’ll fight; pulling every lever they can to protect their position.
“We’re seeing this play out right now. Seven West Media isn’t just reporting on the election, it’s running a campaign."
She said the agenda was obvious, and similar to what independent candidates were experiencing across Australia.
“Across the country, Independent MPs are standing up for their communities, not party machines or corporate backers, and that makes some very powerful people nervous," Ms Chaney said.
“But the people of Curtin are smart. They can see through a smear campaign and know who’s really fighting for them.”
It comes after a column from Seven West Media columnist Ben Harvey on Tuesday night in which he said teals – the name given to independent candidates financially back by Simon Holmes à Court’s Climate 200 – were “like all politicians … full of shit, but they’re actually worse because they act so pious, like they’re above politics”.
“If you vote for a teal candidate without knowing whether, when push comes to shove, they’ll go with him (Anthony Albanese) or him (Peter Dutton) you’re an f***ing idiot who doesn’t deserve to be part of democracy,” Mr Harvey said in the video.
Chris Dore, the editor of The West Australian, told WAToday Ms Chaney’s claims were “absolute nonsense”.
Last month, Simon Holmes à Court used an address at the National Press Club to criticise the major parties and Clive Palmer, and praise independents for vastly improved political discourse.
Mr Holmes à Court defended the multi-million-dollar donations Climate 200 had made to independents as supporting grassroots politics.
“Climate 200 does not start campaigns. Climate 200 does not run campaigns. Climate 200 does not target seats or select candidates,” he said.
“Climate 200 simply recognised this profound shift in our democracy and sought to provide the resources and support needed to help communities and their independent candidates succeed.”
Curtin will be one of the seats to watch in the upcoming federal election, with voters to decide whether to elect Ms Chaney for a second term.
In 1998, Julie Bishop unseated the incumbent, Liberal-turned-independent Allan Rocher, in the seat.
Mr Rocher was, at the time, the only non-Liberal to have held Curtin.
Curtin was called for Liberal candidate Celia Hammond, Ms Bishop's successor, at the 2019 federal election.
But Ms Hammond became the first Liberal to lose the seat after Ms Chaney made history to overturn Curtin's traditional political leaning.
Ms Chaney's election win was part of the teal wave in the 2022 election, with a group of independents winning traditionally blue-ribbon seats.
Before entering politics, Ms Chaney was director of innovation and strategy at Anglicare WA and held positions within Boston Consulting Group and Wesfarmers.
She is the daughter of Wesfarmers chair Michael Chaney, granddaughter of former Liberal deputy leader Fred Chaney Sr and niece of former WA Liberal senator Fred Chaney.
