Independent Kylea Tink has promised voters action on climate change, support for parents, the release of refugees in indefinite detention and a federal corruption watchdog if elected.
The business leader on Sunday launched her campaign to unseat Liberal Trent Zimmerman in North Sydney in the upcoming election, pledging to restore "integrity, accountability and transparency" to politics.
Ms Tink addressed hundreds of supporters gathered at a Longueville bowling club wearing coral coloured T-shirts emblazoned with the message: "Let's change the climate in Canberra".
"You want urgent action on climate led by facts and not politics," she said to applause.
"I will push for more ambitious binding carbon reduction targets for Australia."
Ms Tink said she had received support-- including upwards of $680,000 in campaign donations -- from the same community who were closing the margin between an independent and Liberal member in the nearby state by-election for the seat of Willoughby.
"We literally have thousands of people across the electorate who have already donated," she told AAP.
"It shows people are truly interested and engaged in the process."
A chunk of her donations, she estimates around 30 per cent, were from the Climate 200 non-profit, non-partisan group led by clean energy analyst and investor Simon Holmes a Court.
Mr Zimmerman has held the seat since 2015 after his predecessor Joe Hockey retired from parliament.
Ms Tink said although he was a moderate, Mr Zimmerman's voting track record matched that of Deputy Prime Minster Barnaby Joyce's, but she commended him for recently crossing the floor over the Religious Discrimination Bill.
One attendee left on the tables copies of the latest edition of the North Shore Times on which a profile of Mr Zimmerman was the cover story.
A supporter of Ms Tink's campaign turned the magazines over.
Ms Tink originally hails from the regional town of Coonabarabran but has lived in the electorate for 15 years.
She has a background in corporate communications and worked as chief executive officer of breast cancer charity the McGrath Foundation and then cancer charity Camp Quality.
Ms Tink told the crowd of pink-shirts that when she pitched the idea for what is now known as Jane McGrath Day -- where attendees wear pink on day three of the Ashes Test to raise money for the foundation -- she was told she was a "lovely optimistic country girl" but that "pink at the cricket would never work".
"I am the type of person who argues for what I believe in like I know I'm right but I listen like I know I'm wrong," she said.
Katherine Woodthorpe, a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, spoke in support of Ms Tink, arguing for a response to climate change that wasn't founded on "wilful ignorance pandering to vested interests".
Actor of Kingswood Country fame and north Sydneysider Lex Marinos chaired the launch and Yvonne Weldon, deputy chairwoman of the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council welcomed guests to country.
