Meet the retired tech millionaire who donated $1.9 million to teals and Greens
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Pater’s wife, Gita Sonnenberg, founded the Voices for Forrest movement, which elected Chapman and became his campaign coordinator.
In his first public comment on the extraordinary size of his donations, Pater said he had been spurred to act by Labor’s reluctance to restrict fossil fuel projects.
“The Western Australian government is proud to lead the only state in the country with rising carbon emissions, thereby directly fueling the climate crisis through our massive fossil fuel production,” he said.
“Western Australia is also the only state in the country without a statutory emissions reduction target.
“The Albanian government has doubled down on WA Labor’s disastrous climate policies. I believe history will judge the guilty politicians poorly. They are almost guaranteed to face even more opposition at the next election.”
Pater said he supports any candidate who will end the “collusion” between governments and the “big end of the city.”
“The last election results in Fremantle should have attracted the attention of the major parties,” he said.
“Given the extent of society’s disappointment with our government and the major party system, the potential for significant political change becomes even greater.”
Pater with his wife Gita Sonnenberg.
Pater’s total wealth is unknown, but he made his money in the technology sector in both South Africa and Australia.
He founded Scope Systems in 1994 and was a director of Melbourne-based software company Pronto until 2012.
Pater also founded the Carbon Farming Foundation, which offered carbon farming services until it closed in July.
He and his wife run a farming operation in Western Australia that sells carbon credits to polluters.
Pater is one of many wealthy businessmen who have poured money into Climate 200.
Stock trader Robert Keldoulis, through his investment firm and Fairground Investments, the family charity of 7-Eleven co-founders Beverley and Douglas Barlow, was named at the top of the list of donors to the movement.
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 before the election.
The group provides funding and campaign support to independent individuals in the community who share their state’s values on climate, integrity and equity.
His support for Chaney’s campaign was crucial to his narrow victory over Liberal candidate Tom White in Curtin.
The full list of donors who have met the disclosure threshold for the 2024-25 financial year will be published by the Australian Electoral Commission on Monday.
with Natassia Chrysanthos
