Election Financial Transparency Reveals Stark Contrasts in Hunter Region Campaigns
The Australian Electoral Commission has released its latest transparency register, providing unprecedented insight into campaign financing during the 2025 federal election. The data reveals significant disparities in how different candidates funded their campaigns, particularly in the Hunter region of New South Wales.
Independent Candidate's Substantial Funding Revealed
Independent Lyne candidate and MidCoast deputy mayor Jeremy Miller emerged as one of the most financially supported independent candidates in the state, receiving $646,446 in documented donations. This substantial sum represents the sixth highest donation total among all New South Wales candidates listed on the transparency register.
Cr Miller's campaign received significant backing from Climate 200, a prominent organization supporting independent candidates focused on climate action. The register indicates that $475,489 of his total donations originated from Climate 200, its backer Robert Keldoulis, Keldoulis Investments, and the Regional Voices Fund.
"We will never know how much the Nationals spent but clearly they far and away outspent us," Cr Miller commented, highlighting the information asymmetry between independent and party-affiliated candidates.
Party-Affiliated Candidates' Financials Remain Obscure
In stark contrast to the detailed reporting for independent candidates, most party-endorsed candidates in the Hunter region show $0 in donations and spending on the transparency register. This discrepancy arises from electoral regulations that allow party-affiliated candidates to roll their financial reporting into their party's annual returns when transactions are managed by party committees.
Cr Miller expressed concern about this reporting disparity, advocating for a "level playing field" where voters could access consistent information about all candidates' campaign finances. "Let's make the rules the same for everybody," he urged.
Smaller Campaigns and National Context
In the Hunter electorate, One Nation candidate Stuart Bonds reported receiving $27,925 in donations and spending $21,356 on his campaign. Mr Bonds noted that his funding came primarily from individual supporters, personal contributions, and fundraising events, including one attended by One Nation leader Pauline Hanson.
"It wasn't a great deal of money, but it was enough to be able to run a decent campaign," Mr Bonds reflected on his modest budget compared to major party candidates.
Analysis by the Australia Institute reveals the broader national context of election spending. In the three years preceding the 2025 election, political parties spent $880 million nationwide, with the now-separated Coalition parties accounting for $212 million of that total.
Calls for Reform and Greater Transparency
The Greens have criticized both Labor and Liberal parties for accepting donations from industries including fossil fuel companies, gambling interests, pharmaceutical corporations, major banks, and supermarkets. Greens Senator Steph Hodgins-May argued that while households struggle with cost-of-living pressures, major parties continue accepting substantial donations from corporations contributing to these economic challenges.
The Greens have announced plans to reintroduce legislation to parliament aimed at banning donations from industries that profit at the public's expense, signaling ongoing political debate about campaign finance reform.
The transparency register's release has sparked renewed discussion about electoral funding regulations, with independent candidates highlighting what they perceive as unequal reporting requirements between party-affiliated and non-aligned candidates.
