Major Parties Spend Big But Clive Palmer Goes Larger

Clive Palmer spent more on political campaigning in the last financial year than the two significant celebrations combined, contribution records show.


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


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


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


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


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


The AEC data does not different major-party costs for the year and the election as it provides for third 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 almost $900,000 into Advance in a year.


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


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 vehicle Climate 200, which backs independent prospects, spent $5 million in the federal election while Better Australia, established to campaign versus the teal independents, spent more than $1.2 million.


Labor protected an enormous majority with 94 lower house seats, while the union 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 costs and donations before reforms, consisting of spending caps, come into effect in mid-2026.


Major parties will just have the ability to spend $90 million on elections nationwide while third-party groups will be restricted to $11 million.


The Australia Institute criticised the ramped-up cash splashes and while director Bill Browne welcomed election reforms, he said they didn't go far enough as there were loopholes that meant cash payments to significant celebrations might go undetected.


This implied Australians would be left in the dark about who was buying access to political leaders, he stated.


"Even with enhanced contribution disclosure rules, there will be cash-for-access payments that Australians never learn about," 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, connecting an absence of policy action to the companies' influence over the government.


SportsBet, Tabcorp and betting lobby Responsible Wagering Australia offered a $166,500 to Labor and $92,500 to the Liberals.


Major donors mostly hedged their bets in between Labor and the coalition.


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


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


Oryxium, an investment firm linked to business person Frank Lowy, contributed $1.8 million to the Liberals, while DoorDash provided the celebration $780,000.


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


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


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