Major Parties Spend Big But Clive Palmer Goes Larger

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


Mr Palmer's Mineralogy pumped almost $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 marketing in the 2024/25 monetary year, however the billionaire stopped working to get any prospects from his Trumpet of Patriots celebration elected.


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


The then-coalition, which included Liberal and National state branches in addition to a in Queensland and the Country Liberal Party in the Northern Territory, received more than $220 million and invested nearly $215 million.


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


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


Conservative advocacy clothing Advance Australia spent 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 issues about wealthy donors propping up right-wing project outfits like Advance, which declared to be a grassroots motion.


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


Progressive funding vehicle Climate 200, which backs independent prospects, invested $5 million in the federal election while Better Australia, set up to campaign versus the teal independents, spent more than $1.2 million.


Labor protected a huge majority with 94 lower house seats, while the coalition slipped to 43.


2024-25 financial disclosure returns are now live 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 costs and donations before reforms, including costs caps, entered into impact in mid-2026.


Major parties will just have the ability to invest $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 invited election reforms, he stated they didn't go far enough as there were loopholes that indicated cash payments to significant celebrations could go undiscovered.


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


"Even with enhanced contribution disclosure guidelines, there will be cash-for-access payments that Australians never ever learn about," he stated.


Greens democracy spokeswoman Steph Hodgins-May criticised Labor and the Liberals for taking money from nonrenewable fuel source, betting and pharmaceutical companies as well as the significant banks, linking an absence of policy action to the business' impact over the government.


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


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


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


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


Oryxium, an investment business linked to businessman Frank Lowy, contributed $1.8 million to the Liberals, while DoorDash provided the celebration $780,000.


The food shipment business likewise gave $124,000 to Labor.


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


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