Palmer leads list of big donors to federal political parties
Five big donors increased their influence in federal politics last year by making 46 per cent of all donations in a period that saw a fall in overall funding to $18 million.
Mining magnate Clive Palmer led the list of big spenders with $5.9 million in donations to his United Australia Party in the year to June 30, adding to at least $83.5 million the previous year to fight the last election.
Clive Palmer led the list of big spenders with $5.9 million in donations to his United Australia Party in the year to June 30.Credit:ninevms
He was followed by packaging billionaire Anthony Pratt, whose company gave $1.3 million to the Liberal Party and $250,000 to the Nationals, as well as $20,000 to Labor.
Gas company Woodside Energy donated $110,000 each to Liberal and Labor as well as $55,000 to the Nationals and smaller amounts to all three parties, possibly for attendance at events.
The Centre for Public Integrity, a non-profit group seeking reform to donations laws, estimated Woodside’s overall donations at $335,415.
Macquarie Group donated $251,230, spread across the major parties, and the Australian Hotels Association gave $232,301, according to the tally by the centre.
The Australian Electoral Commission released the annual disclosures on Monday morning for the 2019-20 financial year, showing a fall in total funding after the last election.
Two other big donors, Ian and Pamela Wall of Adelaide, gave $175,000 each to the Liberal Party. Mr Wall co-founded engineering company Codan.
Tobacco company Philip Morris gave $55,000 to the Nationals. Other parties refused donations from the company.
James Packer’s Crown Resorts gave $25,000 to Labor and $25,000 to the Nationals among dozens of small donations, with a heavy emphasis on payments in Western Australia, where it runs a casino in Burswood.
The big donations included $150,000 to the Greens from Duncan Turpie, a professional gambler who regularly supports the party.
ANZ Group gave $100,000 each to the Liberals and Labor. Wesfarmers donated $110,000 each to those parties as well.
Trevor St Baker, the owner of coal-fired power stations as well as an investor in renewable energy, donated $25,000 to the Liberals and $35,750 to Labor during the year.
Hancock Prospecting, the company owned by iron ore billionaire Gina Rinehart, appeared to scale down its political funding. It donated $37,000 to the Liberals.
University of Melbourne professor Joo-Cheong Tham, a member of the Centre for Public Integrity, said the annual figures highlighted the flaws in the system.
“The absence of caps on political donations has permitted a handful of donors to dominate the funding of political parties,” he said.
“That the most significant level of government has the weakest political finance laws is a grave weakness of Australian democracy.
“Caps on election campaign spending are necessary for a level playing field in elections.”
Labor has supported a cut in the disclosure threshold to $1000 and the disclosure of donations within seven days.
Greens senator Larissa Waters will move on Monday to halt federal grants and tenders to political donors through a private member’s bill that is unlikely to gain major party support.
The Greens want to cap donations at $1000 a year, lower the disclosure threshold and stop donations from mining, banking and other industries.
David Crowe is chief political correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
Nick Bonyhady is industrial relations reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, based between Sydney and Parliament House in Canberra.