Emma Gillespie

That was Malcolm Turnbull's former seat.

Zali Stegall, another Sydney independent MP for Warringah.

She won that seat of former Liberal Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

But the name Teal comes from this blend of kind of traditional Liberal economic values and policies.

So that's where the blue comes from.

And then there is this

climate action and environmental action through line for many of the teals so that that green and that blue comes together to form that teal colour.

So that's why they're called the teals.

But the six prominent ones in parliament, we have Allegra Spender, Zali Stegall, Nicolette Buller, Kate Cheney, Sophie Scomps and Monique Ryan.

they were all backed by a group called Climate 200 when they were elected.

Now, that is a community-funded political action group.

Basically, it gives funding and support to independent candidates, which includes not just money, but also research, administrative support, campaign expertise.

So those women are in particular all united by similar causes.

And

And the Liberal Party has actually argued that that already makes them a quasi-party in its own right.

Well, that conversation is being led by two Teals specifically.

So Zali Stegall has confirmed she and Allegra Spender are leading talks and

that they say are all about how to be more effective in Parliament.

So their defence or their argument is this is not about walking back on our values or going against the policies and ideas and community-backed initiatives that got us into Parliament in the first place.

but it's about coming together to respond to this huge frustration or what's Ali Stegall called this unhappiness with the major parties and that the rise of One Nation is really concerning for many in our community is what she told the ABC this week.