Major Parties Spend Big But Clive Palmer Goes Larger

Clive Palmer invested more on political marketing in the last fiscal year than the two significant celebrations integrated, contribution records show.


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


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


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


The then-coalition, that 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 almost $215 million.


The Greens got nearly $36 million and spent 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 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 concerns about rich donors propping up right-wing project clothing like Advance, which declared to be a grassroots motion.


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 financing lorry Climate 200, which backs independent candidates, invested $5 million in the federal election while Better Australia, set up to campaign against the teal independents, spent more than $1.2 million.


Labor protected a massive majority with 94 lower home seats, while the union 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 donations before reforms, consisting of costs caps, come into effect in mid-2026.


Major parties will just be able to spend $90 million on elections nationwide 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 implied cash payments to significant parties might go undiscovered.


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 stated.


Greens democracy spokeswoman Steph Hodgins-May criticised Labor and the Liberals for taking cash from fossil fuel, betting and pharmaceutical business along with the significant banks, linking a lack of policy action to the companies' influence over the federal government.


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


Major donors largely hedged their bets between Labor and the union.


Pratt Holdings, led by billionaire entrepreneur Pratt, gave Labor $2 million and the Liberal Party $1 million.


Meriton offered Labor $100,000 and the Liberals $500,000 while the Pharmacy Guild offered Labor $245,000 and the coalition $73,000.


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


The food delivery business also provided $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.