Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull denies having any discussions with Climate 200-backed independents on forming a new party, but has declared Teal MPs could fill a “vacuum for an alternative” in Australia’s political landscape.

Crossbenchers Allegra Spender and Zali Steggall have confirmed discussions are continuing among their crossbench colleagues about a possible new party.

Last year Climate 200 co-founder Simon Holmes a Court dismissed suggestions the Teal candidates he has financially backed could form a new political party following new electoral reforms that place strict caps on spending and donations.

“I have zero interest in being involved in any party structure. I can’t see how it would actually benefit Climate 200 and certainly I’m not sure that any of the independents would want anything to do with it,” he told the National Press Club in March 2025.

“I don’t think any of them would join a party, and if such a thing ever happened it would be long after I’ve left, I want nothing to do with it.”

Since then, things may have changed as talks appear to be on. However, not for one member of the Teals cohort.

Victorian colleague Monique Ryan distanced herself from the new party on Monday morning as reports erupted.

“For the past four years, I have worked closely and collaboratively with the crossbench colleagues from both the House and the Senate,” Ms Ryan said in a statement.

“Representing the people of Kooyong in Canberra has been one of the biggest honours of my life. I will continue to do that in the capacity in which I was elected: as a community independent, voting for and answerable to the people of Kooyong.”

On Monday morning, Warringah MP Zali Steggall confirmed she was open to the idea of fellow Teals forming their own political party but declined to say how far discussions had progressed.

“I’m always open because, of course, I’m in my third term and after seven years in parliament, I can see how there are many things we could do politically better and differently,” she told the ABC.

Noting her seven years in Parliament, Ms Steggall says the discussions are looking at how the group can work in a “collaborative way” and if there are further “efficiencies” to be found in working together.

“Well things are, you know, there are conversations. That’s about all I can say,” she said when asked how far along the planning was.

Asked about the prospect of a new party, former Liberal leader Malcolm Turnbull said he was not involved in any plans to set it up, but added he “wouldn’t be surprised” if talks were underway.

Mr Turnbull, who led the Liberal Party between 2015 and 2018, says the organisation had done “enormous damage” to itself and claimed only the Labor Party was managing to occupy the centre of politics.

“I think there is a vacuum for an alternative centre party. The teals would be obvious people to be part of that or to do that, but I’ve talked to them about that publicly going back some years.

“Whether they actually decide to do so is up to them. So I’m not involved with any … plans to set something up.”

“People talk about this sort of stuff all the time, but I don’t think there is anything that … well, if there’s something concrete being organised, I’m not aware of it,” Mr Turnbull told the ABC.

Figures linked to the Teal movement insist that forming a new political party would only be a viable option if it was able to recruit disaffected or former Liberal MPs voted out of Parliament, such as Keith Wolahan who lost his Melbourne seat in the 2025 election.

On Sunday, Western Australia’s sole Teal MP Kate Chaney acknowledged “there have been conversations since the day I started” but said her focus “right now” was to act as an independent and “be accountable to the people of Curtin”.