The latest Australian Electoral Commission donations report, released today, has once again exposed the cosy relationship between resource companies and political parties, according to Lock the Gate.
Among the mining and gas companies who dug deep was Adani, which donated a total of $35,000 to the Liberal Party of the ACT, and $15,000 to Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party.
Other major resource donors included Origin and Santos, who donated $110,000 and $182,000 respectively to the Liberal, National, and Labor parties.
Meanwhile, Whitehaven donated $35,000 to the Federal Liberal Party, Glencore donated $20,000 to Katter’s Australian Party, and the Minerals Council of Australia donated a total of $94,000 in total to the Liberal, National, and Labor parties.
Lock the Gate spokesperson Georgina Woods said mining companies were getting away with damaging communities while handing out tens of thousands of dollars to political parties that were meant to represent the people living in those communities.
She said it was even more insulting because many of those companies that made large donations did not pay a single dollar in tax.
“Santos and Origin paid no corporate tax despite making large income from harming land and water with their activities. They paid no tax, and yet make these political donations, short-changing the public both times,” she said.
“Coal companies Adani and Whitehaven also paid nothing, while Glencore paid a minuscule amount of just $1,000 on an income of more than $1.5 billion.
“These companies have the cash to splash to keep politicians in their thrall.
“The system is clearly broken when big mining can make these massive donations while destroying communities, land and water across the country.”
ENDS