Meet the retired tech millionaire who donated $1.9 million to teals and Greens

Former tech entrepreneur turned climate campaigner Norman Pater donated more than $1.9 million to teal and Greens campaigns ahead of the state and federal elections including $1 million to Climate 200.

The Simon Holmes à Court-founded Climate 200 named Pater as a new donor on the weekend, but the size of his donation was unknown until his election disclosures were made public by the Australian Electoral Commission on Monday.

Tech entrepreneur turned climate campaigner Norman Pater.

His collective million dollar donations to Climate 200 coupled with other donations to the Greens and teal candidates - as well as $130,000 donated before the March WA election - totals about $1.9 million.

This makes him one of the biggest political donors in the country and a far more prolific donor than even the likes of billionaire WA mining magnate Gina Rinehart who donated $500,000 to the Coalition in 2023-24.

He has vowed to keep supporting climate-focused candidates and campaigns to combat Labor’s support of the fossil fuel sector.

“I was motivated to support candidates advocating for urgent climate action, and challenging the lack of ambition from Labor, who continue to support fossil fuel expansion at the expense of local communities and the natural environment,” he said.

Pater donated $400,000 to the Greens, including $100,000 for the WA Greens state election campaign, and $300,000 to Greens federal election campaigns in WA and Queensland.

He also heavily backed Climate 200-backed community independents including Kate Hulet, who nearly unseated Labor assistant minister Josh Wilson in Fremantle.

Pater also tipped money into the campaigns of Curtin MP Kate Chaney, Franklin candidate Peter George, and more than $130,000 into Forrest community independent Sue Chapman.

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Pater’s wife Gita Sonnenberg founded the Voices for Forrest movement that selected Chapman and was her campaign coordinator.

In his first public commentary about the extraordinary size of his donations, Pater said he was spurred to act because of Labor’s lack of will to curb fossil fuel projects.

“The West Australian government seems proud to be leading the only state in the country with rising carbon emissions, thus directly driving the climate crisis through our massive fossil fuel production,” he said.

“Western Australia is also the only state in the country without a legislated emissions reduction target.

“The Albanese government has doubled down on the disastrous climate policies of WA Labor. I believe history will judge the culpable politicians badly. They have all but ensured they will face even more opposition at the next election.”

Pater said he supported any candidate who would end the “collusion” between governments and the “big end of town”.

“The results in Fremantle at the last election should have put the major parties on notice,” he said.

“Given the scale of community frustration with our government and the major party system, the potential for significant political change is only growing.”

Pater with wife Gita Sonnenberg.

Pater’s total wealth is unknown but he made his money in the tech sector in both South Africa and Australia.

He founded Scope Systems in 1994 and was a director of Melbourne-based software company Pronto up until 2012.

Pater also founded the Carbon Farming Foundation, which offered carbon farming services until it shut in July.

He and his wife run a farming operation in WA that sells carbon credits to polluters.

Pater is one of a number of wealthy businesspeople funnelling money into Climate 200.

He joined share trader Robert Keldoulis, through his investment firm and 7-Eleven co-founders Beverley and Douglas Barlow family charity Fairground Investments at the top of the list of donors to the movement.

Fellow West Australian and Canva co-founder and chief operating officer Cliff Obrecht also donated $500,000 to Climate 200 ahead of the election.

A total of 33,000 people donated to Climate 200 ahead of the election.

The group provides funding and campaign support to community independents that share its states values on climate, integrity and equality.

Its support of Chaney’s campaign was crucial to her narrow victory over Liberal candidate Tom White in Curtin.

The full list of donors over the disclosure threshold for the 2024-25 financial year will be published on Monday by the Australian Electoral Commission.

With Natassia Chrysanthos

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