Zali Steggall and Allegra Spender launched Community Strong Australia on Thursday, a new centrist party that they say offers unity over division and reason over rage. The Sydney-based teal independents outlined the formation in Canberra, positioning the group as an alternative to the major parties amid rising voter frustration with the political status quo, according to the BBC and The Guardian. The party will have no leader and allow its members to vote freely on legislation.
The Guardian reported on June 25, 2026 that the launch followed weeks of speculation and secret talks about the future of community independents. Steggall told those present that the party was not interested in in-fighting but in finding solutions, extending an invitation to voters to help build a better Australia. Spender noted that she had heard many grievances and that people were frustrated and tired of the status quo, a theme echoed across coverage by ABC News.
According to the constitution filed with the Australian Electoral Commission, as detailed by The Sydney Morning Herald, parliamentarians may vote as they choose on all matters except those involving supply and confidence to a government. Steggall described the party as centrist but said categorising it from a strict left-right perspective was reductive, citing priorities of sensible economic management, climate action, integrity and equality in remarks reported by ABC News. Spender added that the group was pro-business while remaining progressive on climate change, and the MPs stressed that Community Strong Australia was not involved with Climate 200.
The initiative builds on the teal independents’ gains in the 2022 federal election, when the Australian Electoral Commission data showed a record number of crossbench MPs elected as voters in several Liberal-held seats backed candidates focused on climate and integrity. Steggall represents Warringah and Spender holds Wentworth, both seats that flipped from the Liberals in that contest. Several other independents are still considering whether to join the new party, ABC News reported.
Recent polling highlights the fragmented landscape that prompted the launch. A Roy Morgan survey conducted June 15-21, 2026 placed One Nation on 31.5 percent of the primary vote, ahead of Labor at 27 percent and the Coalition at 17.5 percent. The Guardian noted that the independents pointed to the rise of One Nation and its anti-immigration rhetoric, alongside turmoil inside the Coalition, as factors driving voters toward extremes.
Papers for registration of Community Strong Australia were lodged on Wednesday with final approval expected in October, multiple outlets including the BBC confirmed. Spender said she remained open to disaffected moderate Liberals provided they were aligned with the party’s values and connected to the community, according to ABC News. Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has previously spoken in favor of creating a new centrist political force, a development that aligns with the current move.
