Federal Politics

Greens bank $3.9m in donations including $600,000 from Graeme Wood

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The Greens received more than $1 million from two big donors last financial year, helping bankroll the party's campaign for the July 2 federal election. 

Wotif founder Graeme Wood donated $600,000 to the party, the largest contribution to the Greens' $3.9 million in donations and other payments in 2015-16. 

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Mr Wood, responsible for the largest single political donation in Australian history in 2010, also gave $6000 to the Queensland Labor Party. 

Reclusive Queensland mathematician, investor and high-end gambler Duncan Turpie continued his large contributions to the Greens, donating $500,000 to the party before the July 2 election. 

The Gold Coast-based algorithm specialist is a member of the secretive Punters Club gambling group connected with Museum of Old and New Art founder David Walsh. 

Mr Turpie, who has long shunned media attention, has donated to a range of progressive and left-wing causes in recent years, including Greens' branches around Australia, activist group GetUp! and online magazine New Matilda.

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His latest donations came in the form of $100,000 in February 2016, another $150,000 two months later and $250,000 two months after that. 

​The Greens received $138,00 from the estate of environmentalist Louise Crossley, a key figure in the founding of the party in Tasmania, and $18,767 from the estate of former candidate and voluntary euthanasia activist Aina Ranke.

Liberal Democrats senator David Leyonhjelm donated $50,000 to his party, which also received $90,000 from the Alliance of Australian Retailers, $22,900 from businessman Sam Kennard, $20,000 from tobacco giant Philip Morris and $15,865 from the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia. 

Ian Melrose, chief executive of the Melbourne-based Optical Superstore chain, donated $100,000 to Nick Xenophon's newly formed party, helping it win three Senate seats and wrest the South Australian lower house seat of Mayo from former Coalition minister Jamie Briggs.

The payments came from Mr Melrose's family investment trust Golden Lineage.

Mr Melrose also gave $40,000 to Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie, part of $90,000 in large donations to her Jacqui Lambie Network, including $25,700 from the Sydney-based Australian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers and $25,000 from the Electrical Trades Union. 

Prominent climate-change sceptic and geologist Ian Plimer donated $45,000 to the Liberal Democrats and $40,000 to the Family First Party.  

The Liberal Party-linked investment group the Cormack Foundation donated $25,000 to Family First and $25,000 to the Liberal Democrats.

Victorian senator Derryn Hinch gave his campaign $15,000. 

Anti-Islam fringe party the Australian Liberty Alliance received $25,000 from garbage company JJ Richards and Sons while Perth surgeon Anthony Robinson and his wife Deborah donated more than $35,000.

The couple have links to the anti-Islam fringe group the Q Society

Rise Up Australia candidate Peter Dorian and his wife Angela donated $17,100 to the anti-immigration party. 

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