Major Parties Spend Big But Clive Palmer Goes Larger

Clive Palmer spent more on political campaigning in the last financial year than the 2 major celebrations integrated, contribution records reveal.


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


The mining clothing spent practically $200 million on all its political marketing in the 2024/25 fiscal year, but the billionaire stopped working to get any prospects from his Trumpet of Patriots celebration chosen.


The Labor Party and all its state and area branches received more than $150 million in the financial year and spent almost $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, received more than $220 million and spent almost $215 million.


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


The AEC data doesn't different major-party costs for the year and the election as it does for 3rd celebrations.


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 right-wing project clothing like Advance, which declared to be a grassroots movement.


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, invested $5 million in the federal election while Better Australia, established to project against the teal independents, spent more than $1.2 million.


Labor protected an enormous majority with 94 lower home seats, while the union 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 spending and donations before reforms, including spending caps, entered effect in mid-2026.


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


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


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


"Even with improved donation disclosure guidelines, 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 money from nonrenewable fuel source, betting and pharmaceutical companies along with the major banks, connecting a lack of policy action to the companies' impact over the 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 in between Labor and the coalition.


Pratt Holdings, led by billionaire business person 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, a financial investment company connected to businessman Frank Lowy, donated $1.8 million to the Liberals, while DoorDash offered the party $780,000.


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


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


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