Billionaires and delivery giants were among the donors betting big on politics ahead of the 2025 elections.
On Monday, the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) released its annual financial information, revealing the biggest donors and spenders in 2024-2025.
It shows that Clive Palmer’s mining company, Mineralogy, was the biggest donor, funneling $52.9 million to his Trumpet of Patriots party and a further $302,901 to his United Australia Party, which was deregistered in 2022.
Despite a publicity campaign with an abundance of texts and advertisements, the right-wing political party failed to gain a seat in the House of Representatives.
Several mining companies spent heavily in the run-up to the election, with Coal Australia Limited being the second highest donor.
It donated $2.7 million to Australians for Prosperity, a coal industry-funded group that campaigned against progressive candidates, and another $1.3 million to an advocacy group representing the interests of mining communities.
Hancock Prospecting, run by Australia’s richest person Gina Rinehart, contributed $895,000 to conservative lobby group Advance Australia, which focused on disrupting the Greens’ seats.
Pratt Holdings, the recycling and packaging empire of Anthony Pratt, owner of 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 raises and spends money on political advertising – and climate action advertising group It’s Not a Race.
This is in addition to the $10,875,934 declared to the AEC last year for specific 2025 election donations made directly to independent candidates.
Political parties do not have to file election-specific declarations with 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 to $3,000 to Labor. She did not donate in the past financial year.
DoorDash and fellow food delivery company Uber Eats strongly oppose Labour’s 2024 Fair Work laws to regulate the gig economy and protect workers. After two years of negotiations with the Transport Workers Union, A groundbreaking minimum wage deal was reached in November.
SBS News has confirmed that Alex, the son of former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, has donated $25,000 to independent Wentworth MP Allegra Spender, the same amount as before the 2022 election, and $50,000 to Climate200.
Online betting company Sportsbet hedged its bets and donated exactly $71,500 to both Labor and the Coalition, with the latter split between the Nationals and the Liberals.
Crypto company Coinbase Australia did the same, spending $100,000 on NSW Labor and $130,000 on the NSW Liberal Party.
Meanwhile, telecommunications giant Optus spent $41,000 on various Labor branches and $42,800 on the Liberals and Nationals.
The coalition outspent Labor on election losses
The annual snapshot also showed how much the major parties had spent on their 2025 election campaigns.
Labor used $159 million in election donations for advertising and campaign efforts to get Prime Minister Anthony Albanese re-elected, less than the $161 million it received.
Meanwhile, the former Liberal-National Coalition has spent $55 million more than Labor, with a total of $214 million across the federal, state and territory divisions.
However, it also collected larger donations, with a total of $221 million in receipts for the fiscal year.
Common uses of political donations include fundraising activities, research, polling and campaign materials, as well as advertising, including on television and radio.
Any donation over $16,900 must be declared to the AEC, and foreign entities cannot donate to Australian parties.
Last February, Labor introduced electoral reforms that lowered the disclosure threshold to $5,000, sped up reporting and introduced new donation limits, which independents claim will benefit the major parties. These will come into effect on July 1, 2026.
— With additional reporting by Rania Yallop.
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