Two of now-Senator David Pocock’s largest donors have voluntarily disclosed their donations three months early.
The David Pocock Party received individual campaign donations of $50,000 from Boundless Earth, a not-for-profit organisation focused on accelerating climate solutions, and $224,000 from Rob Keldoulis, a Sydney share trading firm founder who donated $1.85 million to the Climate 200 group and teal independents.
Boundless Earth provided donations to Climate 200 and independent candidates with stronger environmental policies, David Pocock and Jack Dempsey, amounting to around $1.18 million.
“We need to see urgent government action if Australia is to do its part in averting the climate crisis,” founder Mike Cannon-Brookes said. “We believe Boundless’ contribution to pro-climate candidates helped create a mandate for the next government to act.”
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) published election returns today, 24 weeks after polling day. Full details of funding to the David Pocock Party will be published on 1 February 2023, when the AEC publishes annual disclosure data, in accordance with the requirements of the Electoral Act.
Consistent with federal electoral law, the AEC publishes details about donations candidates receive above the disclosure threshold.
Senator Pocock welcomed this disclosure, and thanked all the supporters who gave their time and financial support, large and small, during this year’s federal election.
As outlined during the campaign, the David Pocock Party received funding from Climate 200. The ACT had the highest number of donors to Climate 200 of any electorate, at 1,596. The disclosures show 11,200 Australians donated $13 million to support 23 community backed candidates.
“We made history at the federal election, giving the ACT an independent voice standing up for our community in the parliament for the first time,” Senator Pocock said.
“That would not have been possible without the support of people right across the ACT.
“The more than 2,200 Team Pocock volunteers who gave their time to the campaign are a huge part of the reason I am sitting in the Senate today pushing for the best outcomes for our community.
“But campaigns also need funding to succeed, and every single person who donated to the campaign made a difference. I thank all of them for their generosity.
“Details of some larger donors to my campaign were also disclosed today, and I thank them for their contribution and support of the vision we had to help build a better future.”
Senator Pocock also pointed to his recent submission to the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters underscoring the need for electoral reform, including on donations.
In it, Senator Pocock called for greater transparency around political donations, allowing members of the public to access information about who funds parties and campaigns in as close to real time as possible; electoral expenditure caps and increased public funding of parties and candidates to make the political playing field level; prohibiting lying in election advertising; increasing electoral participation for First Nations peoples; and increased representation in the Senate for the ACT and the Northern Territory.
“I look forward to working through the current parliament to progress reforms so that we can have a much more timely and transparent political donations framework,” Senator Pocock said.
“There is a lot of work to do to bring electoral laws in line with community expectations on everything from truth in political advertising to adequate and fair representation for the ACT and NT.”
