Billionaires and delivery giants were among the donors who bet big on politics ahead of the 2025 election.
On Monday, the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) released its annual financial disclosure return information, revealing the biggest donors and spenders in 2024-25.
It shows Clive Palmer's mining company, Mineralogy, was the biggest donor, funnelling $52.9 million into his Trumpet of Patriots party and a further $302,901 to his United Australia Party, which was deregistered in 2022.
Despite a publicity campaign that featured a plethora of texts and advertisements, the right-wing political party failed to pick up a lower house seat.
Several mining companies spent big in the lead-up to the election, with Coal Australia Limited the second-highest donor.
It donated $2.7 million to Australians for Prosperity, a coal-industry-funded group campaigning against progressive candidates and a further $1.3 million to an advocacy group promoting the interests of mining communities.
Hancock Prospecting, run by Australia's richest person, Gina Rinehart, contributed $895,000 to the conservative lobby group Advance Australia, which focused on disrupting Greens seats.
Anthony Pratt's recycling and packaging empire Pratt Holdings, which owns Visy Industries, donated $2 million to Labor and $1 million to the Liberal Party.
Climate 200, founded by Simon Holmes à Court, declared $2,709,200 in donations to third parties, Hothousemag — a third-party entity that fundraises and spends on political advertising — and climate action advertising group It's Not a Race.
That's on top of the $10,875,934 declared to the AEC last year for specific 2025 election donations, which were made directly to independent candidates.
Political parties are not required to submit election-specific returns to the AEC, only independent candidates.
Turnbull's son and DoorDash among donors
Delivery giant DoorDash donated $785,000 to the Liberal Party in the four months before the election, compared with $3,000 to Labor. It did not donate in the previous financial year.
DoorDash and fellow delivery outfit Uber Eats vehemently opposed Labor's 2024 Fair Work laws to regulate the gig economy and protect workers. After two years of negotiations with the Transport Workers Union, a landmark minimum pay deal was struck in November.
SBS News has confirmed former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull's son Alex donated $25,000 to independent Wentworth MP Allegra Spender, the same amount as before the 2022 election, as well as $50,000 to Climate200.
Online gambling company Sportsbet hedged its bets, donating exactly $71,500 to both Labor and the Coalition, with the latter split between the Nationals and Liberals.
Crypto company Coinbase Australia did similarly, spending $100,000 on NSW Labor and $130,000 on the NSW Liberal Party.
Meanwhile, telecommunications giant Optus spent $41,000 on several Labor branches and $42,800 across the Liberals and Nationals.
Coalition outspent Labor in election loss
The annual snapshot also revealed how much the major parties spent on their 2025 election campaigns.
Labor used $159 million in electoral donations on advertisements and campaign efforts to get Prime Minister Anthony Albanese re-elected, less than the $161 million it received.
Meanwhile, the former Liberal-National Coalition spent $55 million more than Labor, with a total of $214 million across its federal, state and territory divisions.
However, it also amassed larger donations, with a total of $221 million in receipts for the financial year.
Common uses of political donations include fundraising activities, research and polling and campaign material as well as advertising including on television and radio.
Any donation above $16,900 needs to be declared to the AEC, and no foreign entities can donate to Australian parties.
Last February, Labor passed electoral reforms which have reduced the disclosure threshold to $5,000, expedited reporting and introduced new donation caps, which independents claim will benefit the major parties. These come into effect on 1 July 2026.
— With additional reporting by Rania Yallop.
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