Major Parties Spend Big However Clive Palmer Goes Larger

Clive Palmer invested more on political marketing in the last financial year than the 2 major celebrations combined, contribution records reveal.


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 clothing invested practically $200 million on all its political campaigning in the 2024/25 monetary year, however the billionaire failed to get any prospects from his Trumpet of Patriots celebration elected.


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


The Greens received almost $36 million and invested 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 invested more than $10 million on the election and made $13.5 million in political payments.


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


Progressive advocacy group GetUp raised concerns about wealthy donors propping up right-wing campaign outfits like Advance, which declared to be a grassroots motion.


The Australian Education Union spent $5.5 million on the election, the Australian Council of Trade Unions practically $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 prospects, invested $5 million in the federal election while Better Australia, set up to campaign against the teal independents, invested more than $1.2 million.


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


2024-25 financial disclosure returns are now survive 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, including costs caps, entered effect in mid-2026.


Major celebrations will only be able to spend $90 million on elections nationwide while third-party groups will be limited 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 suggested cash payments to major celebrations might go unnoticed.


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


"Even with enhanced contribution disclosure guidelines, there will be cash-for-access payments that Australians never discover," he said.


Greens democracy spokesperson Steph Hodgins-May criticised Labor and the Liberals for taking cash from fossil fuel, betting and pharmaceutical business as well as the major banks, connecting a lack of policy action to the business' impact over the government.


SportsBet, Tabcorp and betting 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 businessman Anthony Pratt, provided Labor $2 million and the Liberal Party $1 million.


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


Oryxium, a financial investment business connected to businessman Frank Lowy, donated $1.8 million to the Liberals, while DoorDash offered the celebration $780,000.


The food shipment business also provided $124,000 to Labor.


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


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