Major Parties Spend Big However Clive Palmer Goes Larger

Clive Palmer spent more on political campaigning in the last monetary year than the two major celebrations combined, donation records reveal.


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


The mining attire invested practically $200 million on all its political campaigning in the 2024/25 monetary year, however the billionaire failed to get any prospects from his Trumpet of Patriots celebration elected.


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


The then-coalition, which consisted of Liberal and National state branches in addition to a joint branch in Queensland and the Country Liberal Party in the Northern Territory, received more than $220 million and spent practically $215 million.


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


The AEC data does not different major-party costs for the year and the election as it does for 3rd parties.


Conservative advocacy outfit Advance 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 right-wing project clothing like Advance, which claimed to be a grassroots motion.


The Australian Education Union spent $5.5 million on the election, the Australian Council of Trade Unions nearly $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 secured a massive bulk with 94 lower home seats, while the coalition slipped to 43.


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


- AEC (@AusElectoralCom) February 1, 2026


The federal election was the last to feature uncapped costs and contributions before reforms, including spending caps, entered impact in mid-2026.


Major parties will only be able to invest $90 million on elections nationwide 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 suggested cash payments to major celebrations could go undiscovered.


This implied Australians would be left in the dark about who was purchasing access to political leaders, he said.


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


Greens democracy spokeswoman Steph Hodgins-May criticised Labor and the Liberals for taking cash from fossil fuel, gaming and pharmaceutical companies along with the major banks, linking an absence of policy action to the companies' influence over the government.


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


Major donors mostly hedged their bets in between Labor and the union.


Pratt Holdings, led by billionaire business owner Anthony Pratt, gave Labor $2 million and the Liberal Party $1 million.


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


Oryxium, a financial investment company connected to entrepreneur Frank Lowy, contributed $1.8 million to the Liberals, while DoorDash offered the party $780,000.


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


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


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