Gina Rinehart’s company donated almost $900k to rightwing group Advance, political donations data shows | Australian political donations

Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting donated almost $900,000 to the right-wing political campaign group Advance last financial year, while Clive Palmer was the nation’s largest single donor, giving his own Patriots Trumpet just over $53 million.

New political donations data released by the Australian Electoral Commission on Monday showed Hancock Prospecting made two donations to Advance in 2024-25 worth a total of $895,000.

The company donated a further $105,000 to the Victorian chapter of the Liberal party, while Rinehart-owned beef producer S Kidman & Co donated $99,000 to the Western Australian Liberal chapter.

Data shows that, without accounting for inflation, the 2025 federal election is at a record high for political donations in Australia. The new rules are scheduled to come into force in time for the next election in 2028.

Advance, a third-party organization under the rules, has campaigned against net-zero climate policies by 2050 and is now campaigning against immigration.

Rinehart is also a strong supporter of former national leader Barnaby Joyce, who defected to One Nation in December. He has already started supporting the party, including providing a private plane last month.

Advance’s chief executive, Matthew Sheahan, said in a statement that it had received 52,898 donations from 15,758 individual donors in 2024-25, claiming 92% of all donations were $150 or less.

“Although Advance has not commented on any individual donors, each has demonstrated their willingness to go above and beyond to defend the freedom, security and prosperity of this nation,” Sheahan said.

Lobby group Coal Australia was one of the biggest donors, donating more than $5.1 million to organizations including Australians for Prosperity, Australians for Energy and Mining Communities for Jobs. Coal Australia also donated nearly $240,000 to the Liberals and Nationals.

Australia’s political donation rules require the source of cash above the disclosure threshold to be publicly disclosed. The annually indexed threshold was $16,900 in 2024-25.

Clive Palmer’s company Mineralogy gave $53.1 million to the mining magnate’s startup Trumpet of Patriots, making it the largest single donor at the time.

Palmer also donated $302,9012 to the United Australia party. Massive spending resulted in limited success, with neither party winning any seats.

Latest data showed that the Liberal and National parties spent a combined total of around $215 million before the election; This is well above Labour’s $160 million. Despite spending less, Labor thoroughly defeated the old Coalition led by then opposition leader Peter Dutton.

Labor’s big donations included $500,000 from the Fox Group, owned by trucking magnate Lindsay Fox. The company gave the same amount to the Liberals.

Billionaire Anthony Pratt’s company, Pratt Holdings, donated $2 million to the Labor Party. The company also donated $1 million to the Liberal party.

Billionaire Kerry Stokes’ private company, Australian Capital Equity, donated $300,000 to Labor, while the estate of the late Victorian Labor senator Linda White also donated $1 million to the party.

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The data also revealed Adelaide-based philanthropist Pamela Wall donated $5.2 million to the South Australian chapter of the Liberal party. Wall, along with her late husband Ian Wall, co-founder of electronics company Codan, is one of the state’s largest individual philanthropic donors.

The Liberal party put in $1.8 million from Oryxium, an investment company linked to businessman Frank Lowy.

Food delivery app DoorDash donated $785,000 to the Liberals, while Indian mining company Adani donated more than $620,000. Stokes’ Australian Equity donated $500,000 to the Liberals.

Reclusive mathematician Duncan Turpie donated $1.05 million to the Greens. Turpie has been one of the party’s biggest supporters in recent years.

Climate 200, the pro-climate action supporter of teal independents, said it donated $9.45 million during the period. The organisation, founded by businessman Simon Holmes à Court, has handed out $10.85 million to candidates, including MPs Sophie Scamps, Allegra Spender, Monique Ryan and Kate Chaney, as well as a host of new candidates.

Some of the largest donations came from Atlassian co-founders Scott Farquhar ($1.5 million) and Mike Cannon-Brookes ($1.3 million).

Keldoulis Investments, owned by Rob Keldoulis, one of Climate 200’s biggest supporters, has donated more than $1.5 million to the Marijuana Legalization party, as well as more than $400,000. Keldoulis also donated $22,900 in his own name to Cannabis Legalization and $100,000 to the Australian Greens.

Hemmes Trading, the company of hospitality mogul Justin Hemmes, who hosted Peter Dutton at his Sydney home for a lavish fundraiser ahead of the May election campaign, has donated more than $300,000 to the Liberals.

Pauline Hanson’s One Nation recorded nearly $2.6 million in total revenues but posted $152,000 in donations from just three organizations; This means more than $2 million in donations were received below the $16,900 reporting threshold.

Fossil fuel companies made strong donations to major parties, including $102,000 from Woodside and $133,715 from Chevron.

Gambling company Sportsbet donated $71.5k to both the Labor and Liberal parties, while Tabcorp donated $60,500 to Labor and a total of $71,000 to the Liberal and National parties.

Under the changes to political donation rules, individuals will be able to donate up to $50,000 per year to a political candidate, while the source of any donations of $5,000 or more will have to be disclosed below the current $16,900 threshold.

The changes will limit the ability of big spenders to fund candidates. Third-party groups will be limited to donating $50,000 per year to an individual candidate but can spend up to $11.2 million per year on promotions.