Major Parties Spend Big But Clive Palmer Goes Larger

Clive Palmer spent more on political campaigning in the last financial year than the 2 significant parties integrated, donation records reveal.


Mr Palmer's Mineralogy pumped practically $53 million into last May's federal election, according to Australian Electoral Commission data released on Monday.


The mining clothing spent practically $200 million on all its political campaigning in the 2024/25 monetary year, however the billionaire stopped working to get any candidates from his Trumpet of Patriots party chosen.


The Labor Party and all its state and area branches received more than $150 million in the monetary year and spent practically $160 million.


The then-coalition, that included Liberal and National state branches in addition to a joint branch in Queensland and the Country Liberal Party in the Northern Territory, got more than $220 million and invested almost $215 million.


The Greens got almost $36 million and invested more than $40 million while One Nation received and invested just over $3.3 million.


The AEC information doesn't separate major-party costs for the year and the election as it provides for 3rd parties.


Conservative advocacy outfit Advance Australia invested more than $10 million on the election and made $13.5 million in political payments.


Gina Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting pumped practically $900,000 into Advance in a year.


Progressive advocacy group GetUp raised concerns about rich donors propping up conservative campaign clothing like Advance, which claimed to be a grassroots motion.


The Australian Education Union invested $5.5 million on the election, the Australian Council of Trade Unions almost $5.5 million, the mining and energy union $3.8 million and the United Workers Union $1.5 million.


Progressive financing automobile Climate 200, which backs independent prospects, invested $5 million in the federal election while Better Australia, established to project versus the teal independents, invested more than $1.2 million.


Labor protected a massive bulk with 94 lower home seats, while the coalition slipped to 43.


2024-25 monetary disclosure returns are now survive on the Transparency Registerhttps:// t.co/ A6LbFXu2WH https://t.co/rqe1khhIVk


- AEC (@AusElectoralCom) February 1, 2026


The federal election was the last to include uncapped spending and contributions before reforms, consisting of costs caps, come into impact in mid-2026.


Major celebrations will just be able to spend $90 million on elections across the country while third-party groups will be restricted to $11 million.


The Australia Institute criticised the ramped-up money splashes and while director Bill Browne welcomed election reforms, he said they didn't go far enough as there were loopholes that indicated cash payments to major parties might go unnoticed.


This meant Australians would be left in the dark about who was purchasing access to politicians, he stated.


"Even with improved contribution disclosure guidelines, there will be cash-for-access payments that Australians never discover out about," he stated.


Greens democracy spokesperson Steph Hodgins-May criticised Labor and the Liberals for taking money from nonrenewable fuel source, betting and pharmaceutical business along with the major banks, connecting an absence of policy action to the companies' influence over the federal government.


SportsBet, Tabcorp and betting lobby Responsible Wagering Australia gave a combined $166,500 to Labor and $92,500 to the Liberals.


Major donors mainly hedged their bets between Labor and the coalition.


Pratt Holdings, led by billionaire entrepreneur Anthony Pratt, offered Labor $2 million and the Liberal Party $1 million.


Meriton gave Labor $100,000 and the Liberals $500,000 while the Pharmacy Guild offered Labor $245,000 and the coalition $73,000.


Oryxium, a financial investment company connected to business owner Frank Lowy, $1.8 million to the Liberals, while DoorDash provided the party $780,000.


The food delivery company also gave $124,000 to Labor.


Fox Group, headed by trucking giant and billionaire Lindsay Fox, provided the Liberals $500,000 and the Labor Party almost $540,000.


Mining business Adani offered $640,000 to the Liberals, while Hancock Prospecting offered the Liberals' Victorian branch $105,000.