AUSTRALIAN billionaires have poured twice as much money into the Coalition than the Labor Party in the past six years, an analysis of political donations shows.
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Australian Electoral Commission records show, of the more than 30 individuals and family businesses with assets and wealth in the billions of dollars, the 12 largest donors to political parties overwhelmingly favoured the conservative side of politics.
The billionaire's club, which includes Westfield's Frank Lowy, gambling magnate James Packer and "high rise" Harry Triguboff, have given a combined $6 million to the Liberal and National parties.
The donations are usually made via companies they own or run and must be declared.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has been accused of introducing class warfare rhetoric into the national debate this week by referring to "real families", but Labor has still reaped $3 million from billionaires since before the 2007 election. In March, Treasurer Wayne Swan also attacked the country's super-rich, accusing them of seeking to shape Australia's future to satisfy their own interests.
Academics say Ms Gillard's party has been courting the rich for years, despite her recent language.
Mr Lowy's Westfield Group appeared to be the biggest billionaire donor to Labor, giving $1.14 million from mid-2006 to last year.
The largest sum he gave to Labor was $200,000, just before the 2010 election.
Australian National University political theorist Professor Geoffrey Brennan said Labor's class warfare talk was phrased solely to persuade. "Everyone claims to be for the battler," he said.
"The Labor Party is not a party for the poor alone.
"Could the revelation of this fact give the battlers pause for thought? Maybe," he said.
The figures showed that no matter their politics most billionaires donate to both major parties.
"You don't know who is going to win so it pays to spread your portfolio," Professor Brennan said. "It doesn't necessarily change policy but it gives privileged access."
Even larger-than-life Queensland miner Clive Palmer – often cited as a loyal supporter of the conservatives – gave $130,000, via his private company Mineralogy, to the West Australian Labor Party. This figure is, however, overshadowed by the $3 million he gave to the Coalition in the same period.
For all of the donors, their contributions to political parties can be personally regarded as loose change.
Mr Packer's Crown Limited, for example, has donated more than $300,000 to the major parties in recent years (plus a reported $250,000 to Bob Katter's party). These sums are merely a footnote buried deep within Mr Packer's $4 billion-plus net fortune.
