Sasha Barbagat

Reports started over the weekend that the already elected Teal independents are poised to announce they're joining forces to create a new centrist party.

And they could also be courting other independents and even moderate liberals.

We've heard from both Kate Cheney and Monique Ryan, both MPs, saying they will not be joining a political party right now.

But both Zali Stegall and Allegra Spender fronted the media yesterday to confirm the reports, but stopped short of announcing anything just yet.

So why is this happening now?

And what does a former Liberal Prime Minister and centrist make of the conversation?

And could he get involved?

Malcolm Turnbull is that former PM and he joins me now.

Welcome back to The Briefing, Malcolm.

What do you make of the possibility of a brand new political party which would be made up of teals and independents?

There are reports that you've been involved in the background or any of those to be believed?

Now, you mentioned it there, these independents kind of selling themselves as like, I'll be the scrappy, fighting for your rights sort of thing.

I'm not aligned to a major party.

I'm independent of that.

And that's part of a lot of their selling platform is that, you mentioned the climate issues, centrist on economics, more progressive on social issues, but they don't have any alliance to any of the major parties where you can end up

forced into a vote where maybe you don't agree with the policies.

So do you think that there could be reputational damage done if these MPs who have been elected as independents are all of a sudden turning to their constituents who voted them in saying, well, no, now I'm part of a party?

What happens to Labor in this argument then?

We say that the centrist party, this theoretical teal independent party comes along and represents the true centre.

The Libs are pushed out.