The Australia Institute has raised concerns about the lack of transparency and integrity in Australian politics following the release of political donations data by the Australian Electoral Commission. The Institute pointed out that the current disclosure system had flaws that led to significant delays in the release of donation data, making it difficult for voters, journalists, and community organizations to hold politicians and political parties accountable. Bill Browne, Director of the Australia Institute’s Democracy and Accountability Program, emphasized that the mass release of political donations data highlighted the lack of transparency and integrity in Australian politics.
The Institute proposed several reform ideas to address the transparency issues, including the implementation of real-time donation disclosure for politicians and political parties, lowering the donation disclosure threshold, and redefining the definition of “gift.” They also suggested making ministerial diaries public, as well as legislating truth in political advertising laws. An analysis by the Centre for Public Integrity revealed that election spending reached a record high of $440 million in 2022, with the top 5 percent of donors accounting for 82 percent of all contributions.
The latest data also revealed that mining billionaire Clive Palmer and Climate 200 were among the top political donors in the 2022-2023 financial year. Other notable donors included energy trader Marcus Catsaras, share trader Rob Keldoulis, and large consulting firms such as PwC, EY, Deloitte, and KPMG, who made significant donations to various political parties. These revelations highlight the influence of big money in Australian politics and the need for greater transparency and accountability in the political donation system.