Political donations from fossil fuel, gambling and alcohol companies all increased in the lead-up to the federal election, adding to ongoing concerns about the influence of these industries in politics.
Donations usually increase in the months before an election but last financial year, more than 75% of money came from just 10 individuals, companies or political movements, according to analysis by the Centre for Public Integrity released on Wednesday of the Australian Electoral Commission’s 2021-22 financial disclosure returns.
The Centre for Public Integrity chair, Anthony Whealy KC, said the $137 million spend from some of the nation’s richest people demonstrated the urgent need for reform, with donations not revealed until eight months after the election.
“Record high spending fuelled by a handful of donors is putting our democracy at risk,” Whealy said.
“10 individuals have given 77% of the donations to parties and individuals. Given the reliance that the major parties have on these top donors, there is a real risk that they receive special access and yield undue influence on our decision makers.”
Axel Dalman, a research coordinator at climate group Market Forces, said fossil fuel companies donated $2m to major parties last year, up from $1.3m two years earlier.
“Gas giant Woodside is in the dubious position of being in the top five after years as the highest fossil fuel donor,” Dalman said.
“Santos was the third-largest fossil fuels donor last year, a company pursuing five new major oil and gas developments including the deeply controversial Barossa and Narrabri projects.”
Oil and gas giant Woodside donated $109,930 to the three major parties. Tamboran Resources, which plans to extract gas from the Beetaloo Basin, donated $200,000 to the three parties.
According to analysis by the Australian Conservation Foundation, fossil fuel companies donated more to Labor ($1.4m) than Coalition parties ($900,000) as they sensed a change in government.
“The fact fossil fuel interests donated more to Labor than to the Liberal and National parties suggests the coal and gas firms sensed Labor was headed for victory and shows the whole point of companies donating to political parties is to gain access to decision makers,” said ACF’s corporate campaign manager, Jolene Elberth.
The Minerals Council of Australia donated $233,562 to Liberal and Labor parties. The Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association donated $113,000 to major parties.
Climate 200, a fundraising group for independent candidates prioritising action on climate change, donated $7.8 million last financial year. Atlassian cofounders Michael Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar were also among the top 10 donors.
The Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education chief executive, Caterina Giorgi, said she was concerned by the increase in donations from gambling and alcohol companies and called for them to be banned, given links to social harms.
One of the biggest online sports gambling companies, SportsBet, donated $278,000 to the three major parties last financial year. Tabcorp donated $216,000 and the Star Entertainment Group, which was found unfit to hold a gambling licence in Queensland in October, donated $212,000 to major parties.
“The Labor and Liberal parties exclude tobacco donations. They could extend this to alcohol and gambling companies tomorrow if they wanted to,” Giorgi said.
“Like tobacco, alcohol and gambling cause significant health and social harms to Australians.”
Tobacco giant Philip Morris declared donations of $55,000 each to both the Nationals and the Liberal Democrats.
