British American Tobacco makes first donation to Nationals in over a decade amid vaping crackdown

British American Tobacco made its largest donation to Australia’s National party in 20 years as the Albanese government announced tougher vaping and tobacco control laws. Photograph: Nicholas.T Ansell/PA

British American Tobacco has publicly donated to an Australian political party for the first time in more than a decade, as the Albanese government prepared to introduce vaping reforms.

The $55,000 donation in the 2022-23 financial year was disclosed by Laneway Assets, the body that collects membership fees for the Nationals, the disclosure return form published by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) shows.