THE AUSTRALIAN Electoral Commission recently released its political contributions data for the 24/25 year, and the data reveals the major parties raised and spent hundreds of millions of dollars last year.

The biggest spenders were the now-split Coalition parties, which spent $212 million between them and the ALP who spent $160 million. Clive Palmer’s Trumpet of Patriots spent $53 million but again failed to win a seat in Parliament.

The disclosures cover payments from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025, meaning Australians have waited up to 19 months to find out about some political donations.

Director of the Australia Institute’s Democracy & Accountability Program, Bill Browne, said it was “ridiculous” that there was a 19-month lag in figures being made available.

“Fortunately, from the middle of this year, stricter donation laws mean Australians will find out about many political donations in real time,” Mr Browne said.

KEY FINDINGS  
*In 2024-25, the Labor Party spent $160 million, the Liberals $193 million, the Nationals $19 million, the Greens $40 million, Trumpet of Patriots $53 million and One Nation $3 million. Independent candidates spent $29 million at the 2025 federal election.

*Over the three-year election cycle, party spending went from $782 million (2016–2019) to $704 million (2019–2022) to $880 million (2022–2025).

*From the middle of this year, political donations over $5,000 will be disclosed in real time (if they are for a campaigning purpose).

*Last year, Labor and Liberal voted together to increase per-vote public funding for political parties and candidates by about $41 million, of which about three-quarters of the increase ($32 million) would go to the major parties.

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