SA Liberal, Labor donations flood in from big developers, unions

Major developers and a Chinese mining magnate have helped the SA Liberals gather an election kitty that dwarfs Labor’s. See the full donation lists.

Developers behind some of the biggest projects in South Australia are among the major donors contributing to the Liberal Party’s coffers, new figures reveal.

And Chinese mining magnate Sally Zou has also made a significant donation of almost $32,000 to the party, through her company Transcendent Australia, according to Australian Electoral Commission figures released on Tuesday.

The Liberal’s war chest has swelled to more than $4 million – up about $1 million compared to the previous year and more than double SA Labor’s stash.

The party accumulated $4.12 million in 2020/21, boosting its state election campaign coffers by about $1.04m compared to 2019/20.

The SA Labor Party pocketed $2.12 million, up from $2.05 million the prior year.

The Pelligra Group, which teamed up with the Adelaide Crows to put forward a proposal to the government to develop the former Bowden Gasworks site into the footy club’s new home base, gave the Liberals $59,150.

The government last week rejected the proposal and instead selected a Melbourne-based developer to redevelop the site into a housing and retail precinct.

Pelligra bought the old Holden factory at Elizabeth to transform it into an industrial precinct, and is also behind numerous residential and commercial developments across Adelaide.

Walker Corporation has thrown $50,000 to the Liberals.

The Advertiser reported in November last year that Sydney property Tycoon Lang Walker and the state government had hammered out a deal to dramatically revamp Festival Plaza.

The $663 million project will include an office tower of up to 29 storeys.

Ms Zou has continued her support for the Liberal’s with a $31,922 donation.

Last year, she gave the party $182,755.

The enigmatic businesswoman sparked controversy just before the 2018 state election when she tweeted an image of a $1.2 million cheque for the SA Liberal Party while briefly establishing the Julie Bishop Glorious Foundation.

Adelaide-based Chinese entrepreneur Sally Zou. Picture: Jo-Anna Robinson

SAWEEKEND COVER - Ross Pelligra

The $1.2 million donation was never made.

The Australian Hotels Association SA Branch, which has been campaigning for the easing of Covid-19 restrictions in the hospitality industry, donated $34,000 to the Liberals.

Regular donors Ian and Pamela Wall chipped in $150,000 each to the party.

Meanwhile, Sportsbet lobbed the Liberals $25,000 while defence company Raytheon Australia has handed the party $43,900.

Among the major Labor Party donors were the Shop Distributive Association of SA ($180,000) and the United Workers Union SA Branch ($18,819).

The SA Greens pocketed $552,085 in donations, while the National Party’s SA Branch received $2,816.

MORE TO COME.