Independent candidate Sophie Torney, seeking to unseat Victorian Liberal leader Jess Wilson in the seat of Kew, has raised over $250,000 for her campaign, primarily through small donations, despite recent restrictions on contributions from Climate 200, the group supporting several “teal” independent candidates. Torney, whose campaign has gained significant grassroots momentum, faces a competitive race in the lead-up to the November state election.

Torney’s fundraising effort comes after new campaign finance laws introduced by the state Labor government in June reinstated individual donor caps at $5,030 per candidate, with new entrants allowed twice that amount. These regulations forced Torney to return $140,000 to Climate 200, which had provided substantial backing in previous campaigns. Climate 200 co-convenor Simon Holmes a Court said their four supported candidates remain competitive and criticized the advantages incumbents receive through taxpayer-funded campaign resources and party spending, which he estimated can exceed $600,000 per seat.

Torney’s campaign, boosted by over 1,800 donations averaging approximately $144 each, contrasts with her 2022 bid when she received just 665 contributions. She described the current effort as “a very different campaign,” noting the involvement of more than 100 volunteers, extensive door-knocking, and visible community engagement, including approximately 250 yard signs throughout the electorate.

In addition to Torney, Climate 200 is also backing Jess Marsh in Footscray, Melissa Goffin in Mornington, and Shima Ibuki in Hawthorn, the latter also required to return $140,000 under the new donation caps and retaining just over $10,000 for her campaign.

Torney, who garnered 21.7 percent of the primary vote in 2022 and reduced the Liberal margin in Kew to 4 percent, said economic management, government corruption, and climate policy had become central issues for voters. She expressed concern over the Victorian Liberal Party’s perceived alignment with One Nation policies, which she described as regressive on climate change, First Nations treaty processes, and women’s rights.

Ms Wilson has refrained from clarifying whether she would lead a minority government supported by One Nation, emphasizing instead her campaign focus on securing a majority. In 2022, she endorsed net zero emissions targets and supported legislating a 50 percent emissions reduction by 2030. The opposition has yet to confirm if these commitments remain unchanged, although Wilson indicated no plans to alter legislated targets, including net zero by 2045.

Senior Liberal sources dismissed suggestions that Kew is at significant risk, stating confidence in Wilson’s position despite acknowledging the seat would not be taken for granted. The contest is widely expected to be closely fought, with Torney warning that the outcome could be decided by a narrow margin.

As climate concerns grow within the electorate, Torney emphasized that Liberal Party policies influenced by One Nation threaten to reverse progress on emissions reduction and energy infrastructure, a stance she said is increasingly resonating with local voters.