Former Greens MLA makes major donation ahead of election

Caroline Le Couteur, who retired from the ACT Legislative Assembly at the 2020 election, has made three donations totalling $61,500 to the Greens ahead of this year's poll.

Ms Le Couteur said the best hope for advancing the causes she advocated for throughout her own political career - action on climate change and social justice - was to bolster the Greens' power in the Federal Parliament.

"I'm putting my money where my mouth is," she told The Canberra Times.

"The Greens don't take money from large corporates, unlike the other major parties. If we're going to get anywhere, it's dependent on people like me putting a bit in."

Ms Le Couteur, who was a founding director of Australian Ethical Investments in her pre-politics career, said she was in a "financially secure" position in retirement.

The three donations made in late November have been revealed under the ACT's financial disclosure regime.

The ACT Greens were listed as the official recipient of the funds, but Ms Le Couteur said the donation was aimed at supporting the party's national campaigning efforts.

Her contribution appears to be single largest personal donation disclosed to Elections ACT since Forrest couple Craig and Eva Edwards handed the Canberra Liberals a combined $94,500 two months out from the 2016 ACT election.

READ MORE

The federal Greens have been eyeing as many as 10 lower seats across the country - including Canberra, held by Labor's Alicia Payne - in the hope of holding the balance of power in the next Federal Parliament.

Ms Le Couteur said she was hopeful the Greens could win an extra senate seat in each state, taking their tally to 12 overall.

She plans to campaign with Tim Hollo, the Greens candidate hoping to topple Ms Payne in Canberra, and Tjanara Goreng Goreng, who is part of the hotly contested ACT senate race which now features former Wallabies superstar David Pocock.

Ms Le Couteur had two, single-term stints in the ACT Legislative Assembly: from 2008 to 2012 and from 2016 to 2020.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: