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Community and health groups are calling for an end to political donations from alcohol and gambling companies, after new data revealed these industries gave millions to Australian political parties during last year’s federal election.
The Australian Electoral Commission’s Transparency Register shows that in the 2024–25 financial year, donations from alcohol and gambling companies and their lobby groups more than doubled compared to 2023–24, reaching over $5.5 million. The figures underline the influence these industries seek during election periods, when government policy agendas are being set.
“Communities expect that when governments make decisions affecting their health, their children, and their families, those decisions will be made free from the influence of alcohol and gambling companies,” said Ayla Chorley, CEO of the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE).
FARE highlighted the harm caused by alcohol, which can contribute to injury, violence, mental ill-health, chronic disease, family violence, and social disadvantage. A 2025 study found that one in two Australians are negatively affected by others’ alcohol use.
The donations break down as follows:
Companies profiting exclusively from alcohol and their lobby groups: $1,906,701
Companies profiting exclusively from gambling and their lobby groups: $894,003
Companies profiting from both alcohol and gambling: $2,718,416
The Australian Hotels Association was the largest single donor. Of all alcohol and gambling-related donations, the Liberal and National parties received more than 50%, with the Australian Labor Party close behind.
Martin Thomas, CEO of the Alliance for Gambling Reform (AGR), criticised the timing of gambling industry donations. “There is a cynical pattern, with more donations coming when new regulations are being considered,” he said.
“This has nothing to do with supporting the democratic process and everything to do with seeking to buy influence and forestall gambling-harm reforms that are being considered by the Federal Government.”
Echoing the need for transparency in political funding, Federal Member for Macquarie Susan Templeman highlighted reforms her party introduced to curb undue influence:
In the last term of parliament, we successfully passed landmark legislation to stop the billionaire arms race in federal elections by capping expenditure and donations. That included significantly increasing transparency in our elections by lowering the threshold for public reporting of donations and increasing the frequency of reporting. Australians deserve to know who is funding their elections and our reforms deliver this.
These transparency reforms passed by the Federal Government don’t address the deeper concern raised by groups like FARE, that industries linked to harm can still fund political parties while policy decisions affecting them are under consideration.
