Major Parties Spend Big But Clive Palmer Goes Larger

Clive Palmer spent more on political campaigning in the last monetary year than the two significant celebrations integrated, donation records reveal.


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


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


The Labor Party and all its state and territory branches received more than $150 million in the financial year and spent practically $160 million.


The then-coalition, which consisted of Liberal and National state branches along with a joint branch in Queensland and the Country Liberal Party in the Northern Territory, got more than $220 million and invested nearly $215 million.


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


The AEC data does not 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 nearly $900,000 into Advance in a year.


Progressive advocacy group GetUp raised issues about wealthy donors propping up right-wing project clothing 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 financing vehicle Climate 200, which backs independent candidates, spent $5 million in the federal election while Better Australia, set up to project against the teal independents, invested more than $1.2 million.


Labor protected an enormous bulk with 94 lower home seats, while the union 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, including costs caps, entered into impact in mid-2026.


Major parties will just 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 invited election reforms, he stated they didn't go far enough as there were loopholes that meant money payments to major parties might go unnoticed.


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


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


Greens democracy spokeswoman Steph Hodgins-May criticised Labor and the Liberals for taking cash from fossil fuel, gaming and pharmaceutical business in addition to the major banks, linking an absence of policy action to the business' influence over the government.


SportsBet, Tabcorp and gambling 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 union.


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


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


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


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