Major Parties Spend Big But Clive Palmer Goes Larger

Clive Palmer spent more on political campaigning in the last fiscal year than the 2 significant celebrations combined, donation records show.


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


The mining outfit invested almost $200 million on all its political marketing in the 2024/25 fiscal year, however the billionaire failed to get any prospects from his Trumpet of Patriots party 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, which consisted of 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 invested almost $215 million.


The almost $36 million and spent more than $40 million while One Nation got and invested 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 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 almost $900,000 into Advance in a year.


Progressive advocacy group GetUp raised issues about rich donors propping up right-wing project attire like Advance, which claimed to be a grassroots movement.


The Australian Education Union invested $5.5 million on the election, the Australian Council of Trade Unions almost $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, established to campaign versus the teal independents, spent more than $1.2 million.


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


2024-25 monetary 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 spending and contributions before reforms, consisting of spending caps, come into effect in mid-2026.


Major parties will only have the ability 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 cash splashes and while director Bill Browne invited election reforms, he stated 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 purchasing access to political leaders, he stated.


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


Greens democracy spokeswoman Steph Hodgins-May criticised Labor and the Liberals for taking money from nonrenewable fuel source, betting and pharmaceutical business as well as the significant banks, linking 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 mainly hedged their bets between Labor and the coalition.


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 gave Labor $245,000 and the union $73,000.


Oryxium, a financial investment business connected to business owner Frank Lowy, donated $1.8 million to the Liberals, while DoorDash gave the party $780,000.


The food shipment company 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 practically $540,000.


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