Major Parties Spend Big But Clive Palmer Goes Larger

Clive Palmer invested more on political marketing in the last fiscal year than the 2 significant parties integrated, donation records reveal.


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


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


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


The then-coalition, which included Liberal and National state branches as well as a joint branch in Queensland and the Country Liberal Party in the Northern Territory, got more than $220 million and spent nearly $215 million.


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


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


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


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


Progressive advocacy group GetUp raised issues about rich donors propping up right-wing project outfits 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 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 candidates, spent $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 huge bulk 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 feature uncapped costs and contributions before reforms, consisting of spending caps, come into effect in mid-2026.


Major celebrations will only 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 said they didn't go far enough as there were loopholes that implied cash payments to significant celebrations might go undetected.


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


"Even with enhanced donation disclosure rules, there will be cash-for-access payments that Australians never ever discover out about," he said.


Greens democracy spokesperson Steph Hodgins-May criticised Labor and the Liberals for taking cash from nonrenewable fuel source, betting and pharmaceutical business along with the significant banks, connecting a lack of policy action to the business' influence over the government.


SportsBet, Tabcorp and betting lobby Responsible Wagering Australia provided 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 businessman 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 provided Labor $245,000 and the coalition $73,000.


Oryxium, an investment company connected to business owner Frank Lowy, contributed $1.8 million to the Liberals, while DoorDash offered the party $780,000.


The food shipment 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 business Adani provided $640,000 to the Liberals, while Hancock Prospecting offered the Liberals' Victorian branch $105,000.