Liberal claims of Victorian teals acting as a ‘party’ dismissed as ‘vexatious’ by Climate 200

Nomi Kaltmann says Liberal complaints about teal independents ‘didn’t work for them at the federal election and it’s not going to work now’. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Climate 200 has rubbished Liberal party claims that Simon Holmes à Court and four teal candidates have engaged in “criminal” conduct by acting as a party ahead of the Victorian state election, describing the allegations as “baseless” and “vexatious”.

A formal complaint was lodged by the Liberals with the Victorian Electoral Commission over the teal campaigns’ fundraising and operations, accusing them of effectively operating as a party.