Major Parties Spend Big However Clive Palmer Goes Larger

Clive Palmer invested more on political marketing in the last monetary year than the 2 significant parties combined, contribution records reveal.


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


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


The Labor Party and all its state and area branches got more than $150 million in the fiscal year and spent almost $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 received almost $36 million and spent more than $40 million while One Nation got and invested just over $3.3 million.


The AEC information doesn't different major-party spending 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 practically $900,000 into Advance in a year.


Progressive advocacy group GetUp raised issues about wealthy donors propping up conservative campaign attire like Advance, which declared to be a grassroots movement.


The Australian Education Union spent $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 candidates, spent $5 million in the federal election while Better Australia, established to project versus the teal independents, spent more than $1.2 million.


Labor protected a huge bulk with 94 lower house seats, while the coalition slipped to 43.


2024-25 financial 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 feature uncapped spending and donations before reforms, consisting of spending caps, entered into result in mid-2026.


Major celebrations will only be able to spend $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 welcomed election reforms, he said they didn't go far enough as there were loopholes that indicated cash payments to major celebrations might go unnoticed.


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


"Even with enhanced contribution disclosure guidelines, there will be cash-for-access payments that Australians never find out about," he stated.


Greens democracy spokesperson Steph Hodgins-May criticised Labor and the Liberals for taking cash from nonrenewable fuel source, betting and pharmaceutical business in addition to the major banks, a lack of policy action to the business' 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 largely hedged their bets in between Labor and the union.


Pratt Holdings, led by billionaire business owner Anthony Pratt, offered Labor $2 million and the Liberal Party $1 million.


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


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


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


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


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