Recent electoral donations data for 2023-2024 shows Fossil Fuel and mining companies bankrolled the Labor, Liberal and National Parties by over $1.5 million in the non-election year of 2023-2024. Due to the disclosure laws we won’t know how much they contributed to these parties during this election period for at least seven months and sometimes up to 19 months for a large federal donation to be made public.
They don’t donate this money for nothing but to ensure Fossil fuel subsidies are not phased out and to hinder changes to law or regulation that hinder fossil fuel extraction.
We have already seen changes to the Environment Protection Biodiversity and Conservation Act dropped by the Albanese Government from a campaign by Mining Interests and their Labor colleagues in the WA state government. Getting the EPBC Act updated was a political promise Labor made at the 2022 election.
Companies that received federal environmental approvals made $54.8 million in political donations in the 24 years to 2022, analysis shows. (Lock The Gate)
- Woodside and Santos donated nearly $3 million each to Labor and the Coalition during the 24 year period.
- Santos projects received eight federal environmental approvals and Woodside projects received nine federal environmental approvals during this time.
- Coal companies including Adani, Whitehaven, and Glencore collectively donated $3.1 million dollars over the 24 year period and received 24 project approvals under the EPBC Act.
- Lobby groups representing the interests of mining companies such as the Minerals Council of Australia and NSW Minerals Council collectively donated more than $1 million to the two major parties.
It is well known what needs to be done with political donation reform:
- Reduce the disclosure theshold from $16900 to $1000
- aggregating donations from the same donor
- Near real time disclosure reporting of all political donations
- caps – on both political donations and campaign spending.
- caps on third party donations funding
- caps are needed both for total spend and per electorate with consideration for new entrants needing to spend more
We would suggest even an outright ban on entitities or sectors which have a negative social and societal impact (like fossil fuels, tobacco, gambling) being able to fund political parties and candidates at the Federal level. At some state and local government jurisdictions there is a ban on property developers funding political candidates due to risk of corruption. In 2020 theQueensland Supreme Court found that a Ban on property developers making political donations was consistent with human rights.
The danger is that electoral reforms may be passed by the Labor Party and Coalition that advantage traditional parties that hinder new entrants. We have seen a gradual decline in electoral support for the two party system where approximately one third of Australians now vote for minor parties or independents. There is an election reform bill before parliament, but it hasn’t gone through a commitee process with public srutiny and submissions.
Joshua Black, from the School of History, Australian National University explains at The Conversation on 6 February: Sweeping reform of the electoral laws puts democracy at risk. They shouldn’t be changed on a whim
Coal and Gas Approvals under Albanese Labor
Since May 2022, the Federal Environment Minister has approved 10 new coal mines or expansions with 2,449 million tonnes of lifetime emissions. There are 22 additional proposals for new or expanded coal mines currently waiting for Federal Government approval. (Coal Mine Tracker)
The Albanese government (elected May 2022) approved at least four significant gas projects under the EPBC Act, including:
- Santos’ Barossa Gas Project (NT, revised plan approved late 2023).
- Port Kembla Gas Import Terminal (NSW, federal approval late 2023).
- Beetaloo Basin exploration projects (NT, federal funding and regulatory support).
- Scarborough Gas Project (WA, though initially approved earlier, expansions/related infrastructure may have post-2022 approvals).
Wills Labor MP dumped by his own Advisory Group
Here in Wills the Climate and Environment advisory group set up by Peter Khalil MP resigned en masse in September 2024 with the September coal mine approvals being the last straw.
“So unfortunately while you might have been active, your achievements are not obvious to us.
As far as we can see there is no evidence you have taken our concerns and information and used them to further effective climate action in parliament for the citizens of Wills. Consequently there is nothing to show for our efforts. The current climate crisis demands that we turn our energies to actions that give us greater hope.”
The only option to change this bipartisanship with fossil fuel donations corrupting our political system is to use the preferential voting system to support Federal candidates with strong climate and integrity policies such as Independents or Greens ahead of the major parties.
References
AEC, 3 February 2025, 2023-24 annual financial disclosure return information published today https://www.aec.gov.au/media/2025/02-03.htm
The Conversation, 3 February 2025, Political donations data show who’s funding whom in Australia – but they are coming out far too late https://theconversation.com/political-donations-data-show-whos-funding-whom-in-australia-but-they-are-coming-out-far-too-late-248662
The Conversation, 18 March 2024, Political donations rules are finally in the spotlight – here’s what the government should do https://theconversation.com/political-donations-rules-are-finally-in-the-spotlight-heres-what-the-government-should-do-225901
Lock the Gate, September 04, 2024, Companies that received federal environmental approvals made $54.8 million in political donations, news analysis shows https://www.lockthegate.org.au/companies_that_received_federal_environmental_approvals_made_54_8_million_in_political_donations_news_analysis_shows
The Conversation, 3 February 2025 – Labor’s dumping of Australia’s new nature laws means the environment is shaping as a key 2025 election issue https://theconversation.com/labors-dumping-of-australias-new-nature-laws-means-the-environment-is-shaping-as-a-key-2025-election-issue-248872
December 19, 2024 – Albanese Government delivers coal approvals for Christmas with 880 million tonnes of emissions
September 25, 2024 – Outrage Over New Coal Mines: A Climate Emergency Response
September 25, 2024 – Advisory Group dumps Wills MP Peter Khalil due to fossil fuel approvals
October 5, 2023 – Perverse outcome: Largest coal mines can increase emissions and receive climate credits for doing so under Labor’s Safeguard Mechanism
September 1, 2023 – Climate Hypocrisy: 4th Coal mine approval by Federal Labor in 18 months (10 new or extended projects in total)
Climate Action Merribek 