Category: Australian News

Donations from gambling companies linked to horse betting to the Labor and Liberal parties have surged dramatically over the past decade, skyrocketing from $66,650 in 2013-2014 to a staggering $488,000 in 2022-2023—an increase of more than 600%. 

Method 

A search of the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) Transparency Register was conducted by the Parliamentary Library, with results provided to Senator Faruqi’s office.

The data presented in Table 1 is derived from incoming payments made by racing organisations and sports linked to horse racing and horse racing betting companies, as well as entities involved in both sports and horse racing betting, gaming (including pokies), and lotteries. Contributions from casinos (which derive some revenue from sports and race betting) and lottery-exclusive companies have been excluded from this analysis. 

The search included the following companies linked to horse betting (refer to Appendix 1 for full list):

• Australian Racing Board
• Sportsbet
• Tabcorp 
• Responsible Wagering Australia (formerly known as Australian Wagering Council) 
• Victoria Racing Club

Year by donor	Labor	Liberal	Nationals	Total
2013-14	36,650	30,000	0	66,650
Australian Wagering Council	30,150			30,150
Sportsbet	2,500			2,500
Tabcorp Holdings		30,000		30,000
Tatts Group	4,000			4,000
2014-15	56,450	25,000	0	81,450
Australian Wagering Council	20,450			20,450
Tabcorp Holdings	25,000	25,000		50,000
Tatts Group	11,000			11,000
2015-16	117,268	45,000	0	162,268
Sportsbet	35,000	15,000		50,000
Tabcorp Holdings	52,500	30,000		82,500
Tatts Group	29,768			29,768
2016-17	200,250	90,000	22,000	312,250
Australian Wagering Council	27,500			27,500
Responsible Wagering Australia	55,000	60,000		115,000
Sportsbet	33,000			33,000
Tabcorp Holdings	82,750	30,000	22,000	134,750
Tatts Group	2,000			2,000
2017-18	169,200	30,000	23,300	222,500
Melbourne Racing Club	14,000			14,000
Sportsbet	49,500			49,500
Tabcorp Holdings	90,700	30,000	23,300	144,000
Tatts Group	15,000			15,000
2018-19	122,500	142,500	22,000	287,000
BetEasy		27,500		27,500
Responsible Wagering Australia	35,500	85,000		120,500
Sportsbet	49,500			49,500
Tabcorp Holdings	37,500	30,000	22,000	89,500
2019-20	61,000	140,000	22,000	223,000
BetEasy		27,500		27,500
Responsible Wagering Australia		55,000		55,000
Sportsbet		27,500		27,500
Tabcorp Holdings	61,000	30,000	22,000	113,000
2020-21	136,420	142,500	22,000	300,920
Responsible Wagering Australia	19,320			19,320
Sportsbet	55,000	112,500		167,500
Tabcorp Holdings	62,100	30,000	22,000	114,100
2021-22	293,695	192,500	75,000	561,195
Responsible Wagering Australia	82,000	77,500	20,000	179,500
Sportsbet	122,550	85,000	33,000	240,550
Tabcorp Holdings	89,145	30,000	22,000	141,145
2022-23	296,000	115,000	77,000	488,000
Responsible Wagering Australia	115,000	25,000	22,000	162,000
Sportsbet	110,000	60,000	33,000	203,000
Tabcorp Holdings	66,000	30,000	22,000	118,000
Thoroughbred Breeders Australia	5,000			5,000
Grand Total	1,489,433	952,500	263,300	2,705,233

Graph 1: Gambling donations by political parties (2013/14 – 2022/23)

Key Findings 

The donation figures, provided by the Parliamentary Library, show that donations have skyrocketed over the last decade from 2013-2023. 

Donations from gambling companies involved in horse racing betting to the Labor and Liberal parties have surged dramatically over the past decade, skyrocketing from $66,650 in 2013-2014 to a staggering $488,000 in 2023-2024—a 7 fold increase (more than 600%).

Tabcorp Holdings have made the most significant donations to the major political parties in a ten year period from 2013-2023, totalling over $1 million. 

Industry peak bodies like Responsible Wagering Australia (formally known as Australian Wagering Council) have also made significant contributions to both the major parties in that 10 year period totalling $729,420, including a massive $179,500 in 2021-2022. 

The total donations over this 2013-2023 period amounted to $2.7 million with Labor being by far the largest recipient of gambling donations linked to horse betting at $1.5 million, the Liberal party at $952,500.

Donations to Labor more than doubled (went up 115%)  from $136,420 in 2020-2021 to $293,695 in 2021-2022 – ahead of the 2022 federal election, and have remained consistently high during Labor’s first term in government. 

Attitudes towards horse racing

Nationally-representative independent polling conducted by Lonergan Research for the Greens found from 2021 – 2024 half to two-thirds of respondents agreed that racing animals like horses and greyhounds for gambling and entertainment is cruel:

• 2021: 55% 
• 2022: 50%
• 2023: 64%
• 2024: 60% 

In 2024, when asked a specific question about banning commercial horse racing almost half (49%) of respondents agreed that commercial horse racing should be banned altogether (with more than a quarter strongly agreeing – 26%). 

Attitudes towards the Melbourne Cup                              

In 2023, publicly available data shows there was a combined total of 62%  of those polled had ‘low’ or ‘no’ interest in the Melbourne Cup. This was up 10% from 2022. Additionally, those with a ‘high interest’ in the Melbourne Cup dropped from 15% in 2022 to 11% in 2023.

In the same poll, 41% of respondents said they were not interested in the Melbourne Cup and would not place a bet. This was up from 34% from 2022. 

Research conducted by the Parliamentary Library saw a 46% decline in the commercial television audience for the Melbourne Cup from 2013 with 2,168,000 people viewing the race compared to 1,168,000 in 2023. These figures do not include out-of-home viewing.

Quotes attributable to Senator Mehreen Faruqi:

“If you want to know why Labor has done nothing to address the scourge of gambling or the cruelty of horse racing here you have it in hard numbers. They’re getting hundreds of thousands of dollars in blood money donations from horse betting companies.

“Labor and the Liberals work for their donors and lobby groups. They don’t care about the pain that gambling causes to so many in this country. They don’t care that a horse gets killed every two days on race tracks in this anachronistic, grotesque festival of cruelty. All they care about is lining their pockets with donations from the gambling industry.

“While more and more people switch off from this gambling-fuelled animal cruelty, the immoral industry makes sure they bankroll the major political parties to buy their silence. 

“It’s time to shut down horse racing once and for all, ban gambling ads and ban dirty donations from gambling companies.” 

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Appendix 1 – full list of companies linked to horse racing who made political donations

• Primarily racing companies and organisations
  • Albion Park Harness Racing Club
  • Australian Racing Board
  • Canberra Racing Club
  • Centre Racing
  • Melbourne Racing Club
  • NSW Thoroughbred Racing Board
  • Thoroughbred Breeders Australia
  • Victoria Racing Club
• Primarily sports and horse racing betting companies and organisations
  • Responsible Wagering Australia (formerly known as Australian Wagering Council)
  • BetEasy
  • Sportsbet
• Combination of sports and horse racing betting, gambling (including pokies) and lottery
  • Tabcorp
  • Tattersalls
  • Tatts Group

On Melbourne Cup Day, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens and spokesperson for Animal Welfare, is calling for horse racing to be shut down, and dirty donations from gambling companies linked to horse racing to be banned once and for all. 

Recent findings have revealed that over 1,400 horses have died on racetracks in the past decade—an average of one every 2.4 days. Meanwhile, in this same period, donations from gambling companies to the major parties have soared from $66,650 in 2013-2014 to $488,000 in 2022-2023—a staggering 632% increase.

Additionally, there has been a 22.5% decline in the commercial television audience for the Melbourne Cup between  2013  to 2023 with 2,168,000 people viewing the race in 2013 compared to 1,680,000 in 2023—further evidence that more people are saying Nup to the Cup. 

Senator Faruqi:

“More and more people are saying ‘Nup to the Cup’ every year and fewer and fewer people are watching it. The only reason this carnival of cruelty goes on is because gambling companies make a windfall and they bankroll the two major parties into silence.

“The Melbourne Cup epitomises the farce of the horse racing industry in a single day: a shameful cocktail of animal cruelty, gambling harm, corporate profits and dirty donations.

“In the past decade as hundreds of horses have been killed on race tracks this gambling-fuelled spectacle of cruelty is losing its social license. Gambling companies know this and are protecting their profits by giving more and more blood money to both Labor and the Liberals. 

“The two major parties serve their donors. They ignore the pain and harm gambling inflicts on countless people  and they certainly do not care that a horse is killed every two  and a half days on race tracks. 

“It’s time to end this grotesque festival of animal cruelty fuelled by gambling and alcohol. 

“Let’s put the Melbourne Cup in the dustbin of history where it belongs. 

“We must shut down horse racing once and for all, ban gambling ads and end dirty donations from gambling companies.” 

Australian Greens Deputy leader and spokesperson for higher education, Senator Mehreen Faruqi has responded to reports that Labor is considering rolling back the atrocious Morrison government job ready graduates scheme, stating that they should urgently legislate these changes.

Senator Faruqi:

“It’s yet another win for the Greens that Labor is finally considering undoing the fee hikes, but they need to get their skates on and dump them now.

“Labor should have dumped Morrison’s Job-Ready Graduates scheme the second they came to power. The scheme is a cruel, punitive mess that does nothing except burden students with fee hikes and deprive staff of resources. 

“Labor was vehemently against Morrison’s uni fee hikes scheme in opposition, calling them “beyond repair”, yet they’ve backed the fee hikes whilst in power and ignored advice from their own Accord process to urgently address them.

“Students starting university next year shouldn’t have to cop these ridiculous fees. Too many have had to cop them already because Labor has dragged their feet on overturning some of the most patently unfair higher education policy this country has ever seen.

“Let’s be clear that university should be free and scrapping uni fee hikes is just the start. The Greens will continue to fight to wipe all student debt and make university and TAFE free, as it was when the PM went to uni.”  

The Coalition’s introduction of a Bill for supermarket and hardware divestiture powers means that Labor is now completely isolated in its defence of supermarket price gouging, the Greens say.

“This is a step towards cheaper food and groceries, and shows that Greens pressure works,” Greens Economic Justice Spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.

“We have led the charge to break up the supermarket duopoly, pushing for divestiture powers that would help bring food and grocery prices down.” 

“Labor is now completely isolated in its protection of big supermarket corporations and their billion dollar plus annual profits.”

“While the Greens have pushed the Coalition to catch up, the Prime Minister seems determined to defend price gouging over the interests of Australian shoppers.”

“People are sick of corporate price gouging and the Greens have been unapologetically on their side.”

“Labor’s refusal to back divestiture powers for supermarkets is indefensible.”

“The numbers are now there to pass divestiture laws for the supermarket sector through the Senate this year, and through the House if Labor would get on board.”

The Albanese Labor Government will cut a further 20 per cent off all student loan debts, wiping around $16 billion in student debt for around three million Australians.

By 1 June next year, the Government will cut 20 per cent off all student loans to reduce the debt burden for Australians with a student loan. 

This will cut around $16 billion in debt, including all HELP, VET Student Loan, Australian Apprenticeship Support Loan and other income-contingent student support loan accounts that exist on 1 June next year.

For someone with the average HELP debt of $27,600 they will see around $5,520 wiped from their outstanding HELP loans next year.

Range of outstanding HELP debt	Number of Australians with a HELP debt	Range in debt reduction
$0-$10,000	791,000	$0-$2,000
$10,000-$20,000	585,000	$2,000-$4,000
$20,000-$30,000	501,000	$4,000-$6,000
$30,000-$40,000	380,000	$6,000-$8,000
$40,000-$50,000	250,000	$8,000-$10,000
$50,000-$60,000	147,500	$10,000-$12,000
$60,000+	276,000	$12,000+

This will provide significant relief to Australian students and workers with a student loan debt and builds on our reforms to fix the indexation formula, which is cutting around $3 billion in student debt.

This means, all up, the Albanese Labor Government will cut close to $20 billion in student loan debt for more than three million Australians.

This builds on the Government’s announcement that from 1 July next year it will reduce the amount Australians with a student debt have to repay per year and raise the threshold when people need to start repaying.

Together these reforms also build on the Government’s substantial tertiary education reforms, including:

• Delivering 500,000 Fee-Free TAFE places
• Doubling the number of University Study Hubs
• Introducing legislation to establish the Commonwealth Prac Payment and expand Fee-Free Uni Ready Courses; and
• A commitment to introduce a new managed growth and needs-based funding model for universities, and establish an Australian Tertiary Education Commission.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:

“I will always fight for every young Australian to have access to a good education. My Government will make sure our education system is fairer and affordable for every Australian and we won’t delay unwinding the damage caused by the former Coalition Government.

“We’re already fixing indexation and today, we are going further by taking 20 per cent off student debt – for everyone with a student debt.

“This will help everyone with a student debt right now, whilst we work hard to deliver a better deal for every student in the years ahead.

“No matter where you live or how much your parents earn, my Government will work to ensure the doors of opportunity are open for you.”

Minister for Education Jason Clare: 

“This is a game-changer for the more than three million Australians with a student loan.

“By 1 June next year, we will wipe around a further $16 billion from all Australians with a student dent, including Australians who went to uni and vocational education.

“This builds on our changes to make indexation fairer and all up this means we are wiping close to $20 billion in student debt.

“This is another significant reform that will help us build a better and fairer education system.”

Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth:

“This is great news for Australians with student debt – whether from studying at university or vocational education – the Albanese Government will reduce their debt alongside our changes to make indexation fairer.

“We want all Australians to have the opportunity for higher education, and our changes are making the system fairer and more affordable.”

Minister for Skills and Training Andrew Giles: 

“This will deliver very welcome cost-of-living relief to the more than three million Australians who have student loans and is an example of the great Labor tradition of making education more accessible. 

“This support applies to all government student loans including vocational training, so whether you’re an apprentice or a tradie, a carer or a nurse, if you’re paying off a student loan you’ll receive this cost of living relief.”

The Albanese Labor Government will introduce legislation to establish Fee-Free TAFE as an enduring feature of the national vocational education and training system, funding 100,000 Fee-Free TAFE places a year from 2027.

This builds on the Albanese Government partnership with states and territories to deliver 180,000 Fee-Free TAFE places in 2023; 300,000 places over three years from 2024; and agreements being finalised for a further 20,000 construction and housing Fee-Free places.

Fee-Free TAFE started in January 2023 to 30 June 2024 and has exceeded all expectations – with more than 508,000 enrolments in courses in priority areas, including:

• 131,000 in care – including disability and aged care
• 48,900 in digital and tech
• 35,000 in construction
• 35,500 in early childhood education and care

Fee-Free TAFE is particularly benefitting Australians from priority cohorts, with 170,000 young Australians, 124,000 job seekers and 30,000 First Nations Australians enrolling in the program.

Of all places, six in 10 have been taken up by women, and one in three in regional and remote Australia.

Legislating enduring funding for Fee-Free TAFE builds on the Government’s strong record on skills and training, including:

• A landmark $30 billion five-year National Skills Agreement with all states and territories.
• Putting TAFE at the heart of the Vocational Education and Training sector with states and territories, growing our investment in Fee-Free TAFE and continuing to build a national network of TAFE Centres of Excellence.
• Investing an additional $870 million per financial year between 2022-23 and 2025-26, compared to expenditure committed to by the previous Government in the March 2022-23 Budget.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:

“We promised Fee-Free TAFE for Australians – and now it is here to stay.

“My Government is putting TAFE back at the centre of vocational education and training, with our investment in Fee-Free TAFE having already seen over 500,000 Australians participating in priority areas to help fix skills shortages.

“We want to make sure Australians can go on to have well-paid, secure jobs – and Fee-Free TAFE creates those opportunities for individuals as well as investing in the future of our country.

“This is what drives and defines my Government – helping Australians now, whilst also building for the future.”

Minister for Skills and Training Andrew Giles:

“As I travel around the country, at every TAFE I visit, I meet students that tell me what a life changer Fee-Free TAFE has been for them. After a decade of neglect under the Liberals the Albanese Government is committed to rebuilding the vocational education and training sector.

“Fee Free TAFE continues to be an enormous success helping Australians to get ahead while easing cost of living pressures. More than half a million Australians are gaining skills and the opportunity to work in meaningful jobs that give back to their community.

“We want all Australians to have access to our world-class tertiary education sectors.”

Additional background information:

From 1 January 2023 to 30 June this year, there were over:

• 317,404 enrolments by women
• 170,470 by people aged 24 and under
• 124,312 by job seekers
• 110,969 by people who speak a language other than English at home
• 30,041 by First Nations people.

Students from regional and remote areas comprise almost 35 per cent of total enrolments.

Fee-Free TAFE means a South Australian undertaking a Certificate IV in Information Technology saves $4,704 in course fees while a Queenslander training to be a nurse saves up to $15,900 in course fees, while.

Someone in Northern Territory doing a Certificate IV in School Based Education Support saves up to $6,950.

I am pleased to announce appointments to the boards of the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations and the Australia-Japan Foundation board.

The Honourable Mark McGowan AC has been appointed to the Advisory Board of the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations.

Mr McGowan brings a wealth of relevant experience having served as Premier of Western Australia. Prior to his election to the Parliament of Western Australia, Mr McGowan served as a legal officer in the Royal Australian Navy.

The Advisory Board guides the Foundation in its efforts to promote and coordinate enhanced cooperation between Australia and China, in support of Australia’s national interests.

The Foundation is focused on strengthening risk-informed engagement with China and reinforcing social cohesion by partnering with Chinese-Australian communities and showcasing their contributions.

I am also pleased to announce a new appointment and two reappointments to the Australian-Japan Foundation board.

Professor Shiro Armstrong, Director of the Australia-Japan Research Centre and Professor of the Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University, will join the Australia-Japan Foundation Board in February 2025.

Professor Caroline McMillen AO FAHMS and Ms Yuki Nakamura have been reappointed for a second three-year term from October 2024. Professor McMillen is the former Chief Scientist for South Australia and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Newcastle, with an extensive academic and scientific background. Ms Nakamura is the Executive Director of Nakamura Chocolates. She focuses on business in Japan and female entrepreneurship.

I would like to thank Mr Adam Liaw, for his exceptional contribution to the Australia-Japan Foundation over the past six years, including as acting Chair in 2024. Mr Liaw will finish his second term on 1 February 2025.

The Australian-Japan Foundation is Australia’s oldest cultural council and underpins our Special Strategic Partnership with Japan. It advances Australia’s foreign and trade policy interests with Japan by supporting partnerships in economic security, the arts, education, science, technology and sport.

To find out more, see Australia-Japan Foundation and National Foundation for Australia-China Relations.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Deputy Greens Leader and spokesperson for Higher Education, has responded to Labor’s latest student debt measure and calls on the Government to go further and act faster.

Senator Faruqi:

“The Greens welcome the Government’s decision to raise the repayment threshold, but it’s still nowhere near enough relief in a cost-of-living crisis.

“The Greens have had legislation sitting in Parliament for two years to scrap indexation and raise the repayment threshold, but Labor has been blocking it.  

“If Labor had backed our bill, reforms like this could already be in law. People would have smaller student debts, and would be keeping more of their paychecks.

“But instead, Labor wants people to wait till July next year when people need help now. We’re calling on the Prime Minister to bring this legislation to Parliament next week so we can pass it this year.

 “After years of blocking us, Labor is finally starting to listen to the Greens about the need to address soaring student debt, but it’s a small step well below what is needed.

“This proposal won’t shave a cent off your student debt or make university more affordable.

“Under Labor, student debts have risen by 16% and arts degrees now cost more than $50,000.

“Student debt can’t be fixed because student debt shouldn’t exist. Labor should wipe all student debt. If Anthony Albanese can go to uni for free, so should everyone else.”

The Albanese Labor Government will raise the minimum repayment threshold for student loans and cut repayment rates to make the repayment system fairer for all Australians with a student debt – around 3 million people.

From 1 July next year, the Government will reduce the amount Australians with a student debt have to repay per year and raise the threshold when people need to start repaying.

The reforms will apply to everyone who has a student debt, including all HELP, VET Student Loan, Australian Apprenticeship Support Loan and other student support loans.

The Government will lift the minimum repayment threshold from around $54,000 in 2024-25 to $67,000 in 2025-26 and introduce a system where repayments are based on the portion of a person’s income above the new $67,000 threshold.

For someone on an income of $70,000 this will mean they will pay around $1,300 less per year in repayments.

This will deliver significant and immediate cost of living relief to Australians with student debt, allowing them to keep more of their hard-earned money at a time when many are looking to save for a house deposit or start a family.

The move to a marginal repayment system is a recommendation of the Australian Universities Accord, and has been informed by the architect of the HELP system, Emeritus Professor Bruce Chapman.

This reform addresses one of the many unfair changes the Liberal Party made when they were in government to lower repayment thresholds.

Income threshold	Compulsory repayment amount under proposed change per year	Reduction in compulsory repayment amount per year
$60,000	$0	$600
$70,000	$450	$1,300
$80,000	$1,950	$850
$90,000	$3,450	$600
$100,000	$4,950	$550
$110,000	$6,450	$700
$120,000	$7,950	$450
$130,000	$9,550	$200
$140,000	$11,250	$650
$150,000	$12,950	$550
$160,000	$14,650	$550
$170,000	$16,350	$650
Above $180,000	No change	No change

The Government is reforming the student loan system to make it fairer for young Australians.

We have already announced reforms to indexation that will make sure student debts don’t grow faster than average wages.

This reform also builds on the Government’s substantial tertiary education reforms, including:

• Delivering 500,000 Fee-Free TAFE places;
• Doubling the number of University Study Hubs;
• Introducing legislation to establish the Commonwealth Prac Payment, expand Fee-Free Uni Ready Courses; and
• A commitment to introduce a new managed growth and needs-based funding model for universities, and establish an Australian Tertiary Education Commission.

This change will be subject to the passage of legislation.

“This is a good day for people of colour, Muslims and all of us working to build an anti-racist society. 

“Today’s judgement is a win for every person who has been told to go back to where they came from. And believe me, far too many of us have been subjected to this ultimate racist slur far too many times in this country.  Today the court found that to be a strong form of racism. 

“Migrants and people of colour should know that they don’t have to be grateful and keep quiet. I will be louder and more defiant than ever. 

“This ruling draws a line in the sand that hate speech is not free speech, and that people who racially target marginalised communities cannot get away with it scot free.

“Today’s landmark judgement is historic and groundbreaking and sets a new precedent for how racism will be viewed in this country from now on. It’s a warning for those like Pauline Hanson and I hope it emboldens individuals and communities to assert their rights to live free from racism.  

“The court has made clear that there is no place for the relentless and vile racism so many of us have been copping throughout our lives here. It sends a strong message to racists that they will be held to account.  I hope this helps us build an anti-racist Australia.

“The decision to take Pauline Hanson to court was not taken lightly, and it has taken a very personal toll on me and my family, but I did it for so many people who bear the brunt of racism and who are impacted by destructive racist language every single day. I have been vindicated today, and so have they.

“It is about time Senator Pauline Hanson faced consequences for the racism she’s been piling on Muslims, people of colour and First Nations people for more than 30 years. She has been found to have engaged in racist behaviour and I hope she reflects on that.

“Racism is rife in this country and Muslims are being marginalised, silenced, smeared and vilified more than ever for taking a stand against Israel’s genocide in Gaza. This decision becomes even more important in the context of rising Islamophobia.

“I want to thank, from the bottom of my heart, my legal team, my family, my staff and those who have supported and encouraged me to take on racism. I will continue to do so.  We are on the right side of history. Justice has prevailed.”