Northern Territory Election Funds: CLP Receives Double The Contributions Compared To Labor

Northern Territory's opposition Country Liberal Party (CLP) received AU$958,241 towards poll funds, while the incumbent Territory Labor government raised only AU$403,568 in the last one year, according to the Election Commission's latest figure.

While tech entrepreneur John-Paul Thorbjornsen was the largest single donor to CLP with AU$125,000, construction firm Ray Bail Investments Pty Ltd donated AU$204,500, ABC News reported.

The party also received cash and gifts to the tune of AU$140,000 from 233 donors, much less than the 381 donors, who contributed to the Labor Party.

Independent Labor candidate Justine Davis, who was contesting from Johnston, raised the highest amount at AU$16,355.

Political expert Don Fuller said the contributions to CLP highlighted that the Labor party was losing favor within the business community.

Territory Labor leader and NT Chief Minister Eva Lawler said high donations to CLP showed that it was "the party of big business."

Even as CLP received donations, which were twice as much as Labor, party president Shane Stone said the contest was "tight." He also denied making "promises or concessions to donors."

A report in Lock The Gate stated that the Labor and CLP have received a combined total of AU$47,850 from oil and gas companies in the past 12 months.

While fracking company Tamboran Resources donated AUAU$28,000 to Labor, CLP received AU$2,750 from Empire Energy, $2,750 from Top End Energy, and $2,750 from gas lobby Australian Energy Producers.

"Frackers are donating tens of thousands of dollars in cash to the two big political parties in the Territory," Frack Free NT spokesperson Pete Callender said. ""It's particularly worrying to see these donations from Tamboran, when earlier this year they were granted a secretive nine year gas deal by the NT Government worth vast sums of money, without any open tender process. These sort of donations mean Territorians simply can't trust that decisions made by politicians are truly in the public's best interest and not the interests of dangerous, multinational fracking companies."

The report said that NT had the weakest lobbying laws and its jurisdiction "makes no real attempt to eliminate undue influence or promote integrity in government decision-making."

The NT polls are scheduled for Aug. 24.