A former independent candidate has defended the million-dollar price tag for her federal parliament campaign, saying it was a "necessary" spend despite not winning the seat.

Independents vying for the key battleground seats of Calare and Cowper in New South Wales in the 2025 election attracted significant donations for their campaigns.

Records released by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) on Monday reveal that the independent challenger for the Mid North Coast seat of Cowper, Caz Heise, spent nearly $2 million on her campaign, the most of any individual candidate in Australia.

According to the AEC's transparency register, Ms Heise received $2,141,655 in donations from 55 donors, including a record $1.12 million from political action group Climate 200.

Records from Meta's Ad

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