Lobby Groups
Who is paid to influence government, and which peak bodies advocate for whom. Includes registered third-party lobbying firms and the major advocacy organisations active in Australian policy.
Lobbyists register & AEC third-party returns · Last updated: Latest AEC annual release
Highest electoral expenditure
$20.8m
Australian Council of Trade Unions · significantthirdparty
Registered firms
12
32 disclosed clients
Third parties
286
4 organisation types
Total electoral spend
$117.7m
Across listed third parties
Registered third-party lobbyists
Firms that lobby government on behalf of paying clients, as listed on the public register.
12 records
| Disclosed clients | ||
|---|---|---|
| Barton Deakin Government Relations | Woodside EnergyOptusUber AustraliaChevron | 2011-06-14 |
| CMAX Advisory | Pfizer AustraliaMedicines AustraliaRoche | 2013-09-19 |
| Enhance Corporate | FortescueWoolworths | 2013-12-01 |
| Font PR | AirbnbDoorDash | 2019-05-21 |
| GRACosway | BHPQantasRio TintoColes | 2010-01-25 |
| Hawker Britton | Star EntertainmentTransurbanAGL Energy | 2009-03-02 |
| Kreab Australia | Meta PlatformsVisa | 2017-08-16 |
| Newgate Communications | SantosLendleaseAmazon Web Services | 2014-07-30 |
| Nexus APAC | Boeing DefenceThalesPalantir | 2018-02-12 |
| SAS Group | Aristocrat LeisureAustralian Hotels Association | 2012-10-03 |
| TG Public Affairs | TabcorpCrown Resorts | 2016-11-08 |
| Wells Haslem Mayhew | Property Council membersEndeavour Group | 2015-04-09 |
Barton Deakin Government Relations
- Disclosed clients
- Woodside EnergyOptusUber AustraliaChevron
- Registered
- 2011-06-14
CMAX Advisory
- Disclosed clients
- Pfizer AustraliaMedicines AustraliaRoche
- Registered
- 2013-09-19
Enhance Corporate
- Disclosed clients
- FortescueWoolworths
- Registered
- 2013-12-01
Font PR
- Disclosed clients
- AirbnbDoorDash
- Registered
- 2019-05-21
GRACosway
- Disclosed clients
- BHPQantasRio TintoColes
- Registered
- 2010-01-25
Hawker Britton
- Disclosed clients
- Star EntertainmentTransurbanAGL Energy
- Registered
- 2009-03-02
Kreab Australia
- Disclosed clients
- Meta PlatformsVisa
- Registered
- 2017-08-16
Newgate Communications
- Disclosed clients
- SantosLendleaseAmazon Web Services
- Registered
- 2014-07-30
Nexus APAC
- Disclosed clients
- Boeing DefenceThalesPalantir
- Registered
- 2018-02-12
SAS Group
- Disclosed clients
- Aristocrat LeisureAustralian Hotels Association
- Registered
- 2012-10-03
TG Public Affairs
- Disclosed clients
- TabcorpCrown Resorts
- Registered
- 2016-11-08
Wells Haslem Mayhew
- Disclosed clients
- Property Council membersEndeavour Group
- Registered
- 2015-04-09
Third Parties & Significant Third Parties
This data comes from AEC Third Party and Significant Third Party disclosure returns — organisations that spend on political campaigning without being a registered party themselves.
286 records
| Top donors | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Minderoo Foundation Pty Ltd atf The Minderoo Foundation TrustABN | significantthirdparty | $656.1m | $42.2m | $402m | $0 |
|
MINERALOGY PTY LTDABN 65010582680 | significantthirdparty | $450.9m | $245.2m | $0 | $0 | |
United Workers UnionABN 52728088684 | significantthirdparty | $219.2m | $83m | $0 | $1.7m | |
CFMEUABN 17402743835 | significantthirdparty | $208m | $203m | $0 | $992.7k | |
Australian Education UnionABN 16006296647 | significantthirdparty | $115.1m | $91.9m | $0 | $5.4m | |
Community and Public Sector Union (PSU Group)ABN 30987910747 | significantthirdparty | $105.1m | $116.7m | $0 | $4k | |
Mining and Energy UnionABN 18 128 983 744 | significantthirdparty | $86.6m | $52.9m | $0 | $28.8k | |
Australian Nursing & Midwifery FederationABN 41816898298 | significantthirdparty | $77.7m | $82.7m | $0 | $1.7m | |
Automotive Food Metals Engineering Printing & Kindred Ind. UnionABN 59459725116 | significantthirdparty | $58.5m | $51.3m | $0 | $2.5k | |
New South Wales Nurses and Midwives' AssociationABN 63 398 164 405 | significantthirdparty | $52.8m | $54.2m | $0 | $364.9k |
|
Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union - Electrical, Energy and Services DivisionABN 60 429 406 804 | significantthirdparty | $51.1m | $53.4m | $0 | $3.6m | |
Australian Education Union Victorian BranchABN | significantthirdparty | $48.6m | $26.4m | $0 | $15.9k | |
AEU NSW Teachers FederationABN 86600150697 | significantthirdparty | $44.3m | $36.2m | $0 | $309.3k | |
Queensland Teachers UnionABN 62 408 519 861 | significantthirdparty | $42.9m | $41.6m | $0 | $869 | |
Health Services UnionABN 68 243 768 561 | significantthirdparty | $32.1m | $32.4m | $0 | $251.7k | |
National Disability Services LimitedABN 52 008 445 485 | significantthirdparty | $27.4m | $21.9m | $0 | $0 | |
Industry Super AustraliaABN 72 158 563 270 | significantthirdparty | $26.4m | $26.3m | $0 | $0 | |
Australian Council of Trade UnionsABN 67175982800 | significantthirdparty | $24.1m | $29.9m | $9.9m | $20.8m |
|
Minerals Council of AustraliaABN 21 191 309 229 | significantthirdparty | $23.9m | $20.8m | $110k | $0 |
|
Clean Energy Council LimitedABN 84 127 102 443 | significantthirdparty | $22.1m | $26.3m | $0 | $956.3k |
The Minderoo Foundation Pty Ltd atf The Minderoo Foundation Trust
- Type
- significantthirdparty
- Total receipts
- $656.1m
- Total payments
- $42.2m
- Gifts received
- $402m
- Electoral spend
- $0
- Top donors
- Andrew & Nicola Forrest$202m
- Andrew & Nicola Forrest$150m
- Andrew & Nicola Forrest$50m
MINERALOGY PTY LTD
- Type
- significantthirdparty
- Total receipts
- $450.9m
- Total payments
- $245.2m
- Gifts received
- $0
- Electoral spend
- $0
- Top donors
United Workers Union
- Type
- significantthirdparty
- Total receipts
- $219.2m
- Total payments
- $83m
- Gifts received
- $0
- Electoral spend
- $1.7m
- Top donors
CFMEU
- Type
- significantthirdparty
- Total receipts
- $208m
- Total payments
- $203m
- Gifts received
- $0
- Electoral spend
- $992.7k
- Top donors
Australian Education Union
- Type
- significantthirdparty
- Total receipts
- $115.1m
- Total payments
- $91.9m
- Gifts received
- $0
- Electoral spend
- $5.4m
- Top donors
Community and Public Sector Union (PSU Group)
- Type
- significantthirdparty
- Total receipts
- $105.1m
- Total payments
- $116.7m
- Gifts received
- $0
- Electoral spend
- $4k
- Top donors
Mining and Energy Union
- Type
- significantthirdparty
- Total receipts
- $86.6m
- Total payments
- $52.9m
- Gifts received
- $0
- Electoral spend
- $28.8k
- Top donors
Australian Nursing & Midwifery Federation
- Type
- significantthirdparty
- Total receipts
- $77.7m
- Total payments
- $82.7m
- Gifts received
- $0
- Electoral spend
- $1.7m
- Top donors
Automotive Food Metals Engineering Printing & Kindred Ind. Union
- Type
- significantthirdparty
- Total receipts
- $58.5m
- Total payments
- $51.3m
- Gifts received
- $0
- Electoral spend
- $2.5k
- Top donors
New South Wales Nurses and Midwives' Association
- Type
- significantthirdparty
- Total receipts
- $52.8m
- Total payments
- $54.2m
- Gifts received
- $0
- Electoral spend
- $364.9k
- Top donors
- Queensland Nurses' Union$262.1k
- Queensland Nurses' Union$122.9k
- Australian Nursing Federation$19.5k
Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union - Electrical, Energy and Services Division
- Type
- significantthirdparty
- Total receipts
- $51.1m
- Total payments
- $53.4m
- Gifts received
- $0
- Electoral spend
- $3.6m
- Top donors
Australian Education Union Victorian Branch
- Type
- significantthirdparty
- Total receipts
- $48.6m
- Total payments
- $26.4m
- Gifts received
- $0
- Electoral spend
- $15.9k
- Top donors
AEU NSW Teachers Federation
- Type
- significantthirdparty
- Total receipts
- $44.3m
- Total payments
- $36.2m
- Gifts received
- $0
- Electoral spend
- $309.3k
- Top donors
Queensland Teachers Union
- Type
- significantthirdparty
- Total receipts
- $42.9m
- Total payments
- $41.6m
- Gifts received
- $0
- Electoral spend
- $869
- Top donors
Health Services Union
- Type
- significantthirdparty
- Total receipts
- $32.1m
- Total payments
- $32.4m
- Gifts received
- $0
- Electoral spend
- $251.7k
- Top donors
National Disability Services Limited
- Type
- significantthirdparty
- Total receipts
- $27.4m
- Total payments
- $21.9m
- Gifts received
- $0
- Electoral spend
- $0
- Top donors
Industry Super Australia
- Type
- significantthirdparty
- Total receipts
- $26.4m
- Total payments
- $26.3m
- Gifts received
- $0
- Electoral spend
- $0
- Top donors
Australian Council of Trade Unions
- Type
- significantthirdparty
- Total receipts
- $24.1m
- Total payments
- $29.9m
- Gifts received
- $9.9m
- Electoral spend
- $20.8m
- Top donors
- Shop, Distributive & Allied Employees Association$2.2m
- Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union of Australia: Electrical Division Victorian Branch$1m
- Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union of Australia: Electrical Division Victorian Branch$1m
Minerals Council of Australia
- Type
- significantthirdparty
- Total receipts
- $23.9m
- Total payments
- $20.8m
- Gifts received
- $110k
- Electoral spend
- $0
- Top donors
- Panoramic Resources Ltd$110k
Clean Energy Council Limited
- Type
- significantthirdparty
- Total receipts
- $22.1m
- Total payments
- $26.3m
- Gifts received
- $0
- Electoral spend
- $956.3k
- Top donors
Figures are drawn from disclosure returns and reflect what each organisation reported for the period. Electoral expenditure covers spending on political campaigning; top donors show the largest reported gifts and do not imply any donation secured a specific outcome. Registered lobbyists disclose clients but not fees.