Companies involved in sensitive projects, or seeking big government contracts, often feature in lists of political donors, writes Aaron Patrick.
One of the unusual developments of Donald Trump’s presidency, from an Australian perspective, was the ability of a cardboard recycler from Melbourne to ingratiate himself with the president of the United States.
Anthony Pratt, then-prime minister Scott Morrison and then-US president Donald Trump at a Pratt factory in Ohio in 2019.“My early support resonated with Trump, who takes things very personally, and he remembers it,” Pratt said at a Jewish National Fund fundraiser in Melbourne in 2019.Access to the president was presumably useful for Pratt’s US manufacturing businesses. Trump’s support for Israel, including moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, also pleased Pratt, who is Jewish.
Election after election, companies involved in politically sensitive projects or seeking big government contracts turn up as large political donors.Before the last election, Adani Australia and Santos dug deep for the political class. Adani, of course, operates Australia’s most contentious coal mine in Queensland. Santos is desperate to drill a new gas field in northern NSW, against relentless climate opposition.Resources companies have a long history in politics.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Hackers attack 12 Australian companies with education phishing scamCriminals looking for new ways to steal data have begun targeting trusted third-party providers such as online education companies.
Read more »
Gas companies reap ‘windfall profits’ despite not directly selling to consumersGrattan Institute energy program director Tony Wood says it is undeniable that gas companies make “windfall profits” in some instances but they are not always the ones who sell us gas. “They're the ones who sell the gas to the ones who do sell it to us,” Mr Wood told Sky News Australia. “That's where the government's tried to have an impact on those windfall profits.”
Read more »
Afternoon Update: fossil fuel companies gave $2m to major parties; Alec Baldwin charged; and ‘bogan airline’ takes offAnnual returns, released by AusElectoralCom, show the UAP spent $123.5m in 2021-22, more than both Labor ($116m) and the Liberals ($118m) -
Read more »
Billionaires pour money into political parties, donations data revealsAustralia’s wealthiest individuals and biggest companies poured cash into political parties last year in a boost led by mining billionaire Clive Palmer, who dominated campaign finance by giving $117 million to his own political party.
Read more »
‘Government wallet’ to display Medicare card, driver’s licence in ‘one-stop shop’Aussies could use their Medicare cards, display their driver’s licence, renew passports & enrol to vote on a one-stop-shop phone app similar to an Apple Wallet under the federal gov’s vision to digitise its services by transforming the MyGov app.
Read more »
AFR interim profit season calendar and resultsHere is a list of the results of Australian companies reporting their interim results in the February reporting season.
Read more »