Major Parties Spend Big But Clive Palmer Goes Larger

Clive Palmer spent more on political campaigning in the last fiscal year than the two major celebrations combined, contribution records show.


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


The mining attire spent nearly $200 million on all its political marketing in the 2024/25 fiscal year, but the billionaire failed to get any candidates from his Trumpet of chosen.


The Labor Party and all its state and territory branches got more than $150 million in the financial year and invested practically $160 million.


The then-coalition, which included 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 invested nearly $215 million.


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


The AEC information does not different major-party spending for the year and the election as it provides for 3rd parties.


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


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


Progressive advocacy group GetUp raised concerns about wealthy donors propping up conservative 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 funding vehicle Climate 200, which backs independent prospects, spent $5 million in the federal election while Better Australia, established to campaign against the teal independents, spent more than $1.2 million.


Labor secured an enormous majority with 94 lower home seats, while the coalition slipped to 43.


2024-25 financial 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 include uncapped spending and contributions before reforms, including spending caps, come into effect in mid-2026.


Major parties will just be able to spend $90 million on elections across the country while third-party groups will be limited 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 implied cash payments to major celebrations could go unnoticed.


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


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


Greens democracy spokesperson Steph Hodgins-May criticised Labor and the Liberals for taking cash from nonrenewable fuel source, gambling and pharmaceutical business as well as 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 offered a combined $166,500 to Labor and $92,500 to the Liberals.


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


Pratt Holdings, led by billionaire entrepreneur Anthony Pratt, provided 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 union $73,000.


Oryxium, an investment firm connected to entrepreneur Frank Lowy, contributed $1.8 million to the Liberals, while DoorDash offered the celebration $780,000.


The food delivery business also offered $124,000 to Labor.


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


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