<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>337468</docID> <postdate>2025-02-03 11:15:48</postdate> <headline>Political parties reap millions in donations</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-337469" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/20220510001657289868-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p> <caption>Major political parties receive tens of millions of dollars to help swing voters their way. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Dominic Giannini</strong> in Canberra</span></p> <p><strong>Tens of millions of dollars have been funnelled to major political parties as pressure for donation reform hots up ahead of a federal election.</strong></p> <p>The federal Labor Party's total receipts eclipsed $15 million, the federal Liberals more than $11 million, the federal Nationals $2.5 million and the federal Greens more than $4.8 million, according to 2023/24 Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) disclosures.</p> <p>All have associated state branches that received a combined tens of millions of dollars more in donations.</p> <p>Pratt Holdings, the company of billionaire Anthony Pratt, donated $1 million to federal Labor.</p> <p>Wagering companies also donated tens of thousands of dollars to Labor as the government mulled reforming sports betting before ultimately shelving any legislation.</p> <p>Sportsbet donated $88,000, Tabcorp $60,500 and peak body Responsible Wagering Australia $66,000.</p> <p>Sportbet's donation to Labor on June 26, 2024 came weeks before news leaked the government had decided to reject a recommended blanket advertising ban in favour of caps.</p> <p>It also donated $60,000 to the Liberals and $15,000 to the Nationals.</p> <p>Tabcorp donated tens of thousands of dollars more to Labor's state divisions on top of more than $90,000 to the Liberals and Nationals and their associated state branches.</p> <p>Climate200 - which largely finances teal independents - marked $6 million in total receipts for the same financial year, with more than $1 million received from Keldoulis Investments and a further $1 million from Marcus Catsaras.</p> <p>It donated $145,000 to Zoe Daniel, $132,000 to Monique Ryan, almost $80,000 to Allegra Spender, $40,000 to Kylea Tink and about $30,000 to both Kate Chaney and Zali Steggall.</p> <p>Mining giant Hancock Prospecting, headed by billionaire Gina Rinehart, donated $325,000 to the Liberal National Party of Queensland, $75,000 to the Country Liberal Party of the Northern Territory and $100,000 to the Liberals South Australia branch.</p> <p>Electoral donations reform is back on the agenda as parliament resumes for perhaps the last sitting fortnight before a federal election is called.</p> <p>The government and opposition haven't yet reached a deal about appropriate donations and expenditure caps.</p> <p>Under the proposed changes, the donation disclosure threshold will be reduced to $1000, from the current $16,900.</p> <p>Candidates will be limited to spending $800,000 per election campaign and can only receive donations of up to $20,000 from an individual.</p> <p>There will also be a cap on federal spending for non-political parties of $11 million, which covers unions and special interest groups like Climate 200, while registered political parties will have a ceiling of $90 million.</p> <p>Political parties will also get more cash per vote from the AEC.</p> <p>But independents have branded the proposal a major party stitch-up that props up Labor and Liberal coffers with public money by increasing the amount they receive back from the electoral commission.</p> <p>The caps also make it harder for independents only running in a single seat to compete with major parties who also have access to tens of millions of dollars to spend on advertising.</p> <p>The legislation is due to come back before the Senate in the coming days.</p> <p> </p> </body>