Former Liberal Minister Christopher Pyne’s firm in $38k donation to Labor

AEC data sensationally reveals former Liberal MP Christopher Pyne’s lobbying firm has boosted Labor’s coffers since Anthony Albanese took over.

Ben ButlerNational Investigations Editor

3 min read

February 7, 2024 - 1:39PM

News Corp Australia Network

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Former Liberal minister Christopher Pyne’s lobbying firm gave $38,700 to Labor but less than half that to his former party after Anthony Albanese swept to power, official figures show.

Australian Electoral Commission data doesn’t record any donations from Mr Pyne’s Pyne & Partners to the Liberal Party in the 2022-23 financial year, but the former defence industry minister insisted the firm did give it money.

Mr Pyne said the amount was below the threshold at which it needs to be disclosed – currently $15,200 – but refused to give a precise figure.

“Nope! That’s the purpose of thresholds!” he said.

The AEC data, released last week, shows that top lobbyists, including Pyne & Partners, rushed to pour cash into Labor’s coffers after it won the May 2022 election.

Former Liberal minister Christopher Pyne’s lobbying firm gave $38,700 to Labor.

Total donations to Labor from seven key lobbyists who represent industries including defence, technology, big banks and telcos totalled $237,067 but the same firms gave less than half the amount – just $96,710 – to Coalition partners the Liberal Party and the Nationals.

The flood of cash has raised concerns that lobbyists are paying for access to the government.

However, lobbyists say their donations to the major parties even out over time and there is no suggestion they are doing anything wrong.

The Uniting Church’s senior social justice advocate, Mark Zirnsak, said lobbyists used their access to ministers and MPs to sell their services to clients.

“It is inappropriate if political donations from these firms are used to further such access, especially in the case of government ministers and MPs,” he said.

“It corrupts the democratic principle that governments make decisions based on weighing up the evidence from all stakeholders.

Former Liberal Minister Christopher Pyne, Ainslie van Onselen and Byron Hodge. Picture: The Australian.

“Government needs to be seen to be free from giving greater preferences to those who are represented by firms that make political donations. It undermines trust in our system.”

Clients of Mr Pyne’s Pyne & Partners include the Business Council of Australia, which represents Australia’s biggest companies, Google Australia, the embassy of the United Arab Emirates and PMB Defence, which makes submarine batteries.

In addition to Mr Pyne, who held ministries including defence industry in the Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison governments, former Labor staffer Tony Hodges, who worked for Julia Gillard, is on the payroll.

SEC Newgate, which represents clients including Amazon, Westpac and Andrew Forrest’s Minderoo Foundation, also gave nothing to the coalition, according to AEC data.

It gave $24,500 to Labor, the AEC data shows.

An SEC Newgate spokesperson confirmed the AEC’s figures were correct.

“Over the longer term we actively seek to ensure our attendance at these events across state and federal jurisdictions are broadly the same,” they said.

Boutique government relations outfit John Connolly & Partners gave $45,000 to Labor while its donations to the Liberal Party were under the reporting threshold.

The company handed in its lobbyist registration in August last year.

Former Minister for Defence of Australia Christopher Pyne. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Mr Connolly said the company only lobbied on behalf of non-profit clients including the Sydney Theatre Company and Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia.

“Generally, we try to balance our contributions across parties and between state and federal levels,” he said.

“In 22-23 we donated to the Liberal Party, both state and federal, however the amounts were under the federal reportable threshold of $15,200.”

Just one lobbying outfit of the seven, PremierNational, gave any money to the Nationals.

The company, which is chaired by NSW Liberal powerbroker Michael Photios and boasts former Labor minister Graham Richardson on its payroll, gave $11,400 to the Nationals.

Its clients include the Australian Hotels Association, port operator DP World and Telstra.

It gave a total of $17,065 to the coalition but $43,700 to Labor, the AEC data shows.

Ogilvy Health gave $21,900 to the Liberals, National Advisory – run by former Liberal senator Richard Alston.

However, managing director Ian Hancock said that over two years PremierNational gave the coalition $72,995 and Labor $77,850.

“Hence our donations are within 10 per cent of one another towards both sides of politics,” he said.

“The National Party are integral to the Coalition so naturally we seek to support them and attend their events.”

Ogilvy Health gave $24,000 to Labor and $21,900 to the Liberals, National Advisory – run by former Liberal senator Richard Alston – gave $18,200 to the ALP and $16,200 to the Liberals while Nexus Public Affairs gave $42,467 to Labor and $41,545 to the Liberal.