Teal candidate wipes mention of superyacht-owning donor from website 

Nicolette Boele, the Climate 200-backed independent candidate for Bradfield, has wiped a mention of a wealthy donor linked to a new media start-up from her campaign website following reporting by Crikey. 

Donors Mark and Michelle Rawson contributed $20,000 to Boele’s 2022 campaign, and also provided the use of their renewable diesel-powered superyacht, “Belle”, to one of the independent candidate’s events in 2023.

Last week, the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) cleared independent media start-up Gazette News of boosting electoral material relevant to Boele and other Climate 200-backed candidates, following a complaint from Coalition senator Jane Hume. 

Rawson is one of three named investors that have contributed significantly to Gazette News.

After Crikey’s article on the matter was published on March 27, the link to the page on Boele’s website hosting details of the campaign event on the Rawson superyacht went dead, displaying a 404 error instead. 

The boat, a 30-metre-long Moonen originally built in 2016, was refurbished significantly in 2023 including the conversion to run on renewable diesel HVO100 — “hydro-treated vegetable oil”. Moonen yachts of similar length currently sell for between $6 million and $12 million.

Boele’s campaign was contacted by Crikey for comment last week and asked whether it had anything to say about the relationship between its donors and news outlets operating in the electorate. 

A spokesperson for Boele said the event listing was removed alongside other outdated content in a recent clean-up. 

“Nicolette does due diligence on donors as required by the AEC. Any questions about other organisations donors donate to should be directed to them,” the spokesperson said in a statement to Crikey. 

Boele’s campaign previously told the Nine papers that it was unaware of the link between Rawson and Gazette’s North Shore Lorikeet. Anna Saulwick, CEO and founder of Gazette, has told Crikey previously she was “really proud to have found funders who align with our values and who support high-quality local news at the local level”, and told Mumbrella that she was open about Gazette’s pro-climate editorial position, but over the best part of a year has declined to answer questions in relation to the amounts invested in Gazette by its benefactors. 

Gazette has launched hyperlocal publications in a number of electorates, including some which will be key in this election.

The outlet’s The Eastern Melburnian covers seats like Menzies (held by Labor on a 0.4% margin) and Deakin (Liberal, 0.02%), while The North Shore Lorikeet covers Bradfield (Liberal 2.5% against Boele) and Berowra (a Climate 200 target seat). The Mid North Coaster covers Cowper (Liberal 2.4% against a Climate 200-backed independent), while The West Vic Brolga covers Wannon (Liberal 3.8% against a Climate 200-backed independent). 

The Rawson family are no strangers to pro-environment philanthropy — in 2021, Michelle Rawson was named as a donor to the Australian Marine Conservation Society, while the family’s charity, the Rawson Care Foundation, is a funder of the Environmental Defenders Office. 

The Rawson Care Foundation is also listed as a partner of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation — the controversial organisation which received $443 million in funding from the Turnbull government in a record-breaking grant without any tender process.

The decision was found by a Senate committee and the auditor-general to be problematic, with the Senate inquiry calling for a return of the funds. The Great Barrier Reef Foundation lists mining giant BHP as well as airline Qantas as corporate partners, while it also includes former Origin Energy managing director Grant King, current Origin non-executive director Steven Sargent, and former Rio Tinto CFO and Bauxite boss Phillip Strachan on its board.

Have something to say about this article? Write to us at letters@crikey.com.au. Please include your full name to be considered for publication in Crikey’s Your Say. We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity.