Jacinta’s big call for voice funds

Official figures showing the Yes campaign spent more than twice as much as the No campaign during last year’s failed Voice to Parliament referendum should send a “clear message” to big corporations, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price said.

The Australian Electoral Commission released the financial information on Tuesday, six months after a proposal to give Aboriginal people a vote in the constitution was rejected by 60 votes to 40.

By law, anything over $15,200 must be disclosed, showing that the Yes campaign spent nearly $55 million on the referendum.

The organisation Australians for Indigenous Constitutional Recognition, which ran the Yes23 campaign, received $47.5 million in donations and spent $43.8 million, while the University of NSW, which hosted the Uluru Statement from the Heart, received $11.12 million and spent $10.3 million.

Meanwhile, no campaign groups have spent more than $25 million.

Australians for Unity, also known as Fair Australia, spent $11.1 million. Advance Australia spent $10.3 million despite receiving only $1.3 million in donations during the period.

The spokeswoman for the Coalition for Indigenous Australians, who was also the face of Advance Australia’s campaign, said the report revealed “what we always knew”.

“The vote was the priority of elites, activists and corporations. The No campaign was supported by ordinary mothers and fathers,” she said.

“Although the Yes campaign spent more money than the No campaign, Australians recognised the vote for what it was: Albanese’s voice of division. That vote sought to enshrine division in our constitution and did not provide practical help to the most marginalised in our community.

“Today’s report should send a clear message, especially to large corporations: they should focus on the needs of their customers and not tell them what to think.”

The largest single donor was the philanthropic Paul Ramsay Foundation, which donated $7.01 million to Australians for Indigenous Constitutional Recognition.

Givia Pty Ltd ATF Yajilarra Trust donated $4.45 million to UNSW.

ANZ ($2.45 million), Woodside Energy ($2.18 million), Commonwealth Bank ($2.05 million) and Westpac ($2.048 million) all donated to organisations associated with the Yes campaign.

Wesfarmers, BHP and Rio Tinto donated a total of about $2 million to Yes campaign groups and Woolworths gave $1.56 million.

No supporter. Clive Palmer’s Mineralogy spent $1.93 million during the election campaign.

Numerous unions participated in the Yes campaign; the Australian Education Union donated more than one million dollars and the Australian Council of Trade Unions donated $883,685.

The Liberal Party of Australia received $1.9 million and spent $1.91 million during the campaign, the Nationals spent $572,947 and the Australian Labor Party spent $684,936.

Former Liberal Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull donated $50,000 to the Yes campaign.

The Waverley Town Council, which voted in favor of the referendum, spent $28,417 but stated that it would not make any donations.

Teal independents Monique Ryan, Allegra Spender, Kylea Tink and Zali Steggall spent $67,505, $63,464, $15,689 and $14,600 respectively, while Kooyong Independent Ltd spent $62,947.

Who is the biggest Yes donor?

The Paul Ramsay Foundation was founded by Paul Ramsay, a businessman and philanthropist who bequeathed $3 billion to the foundation in 2014.

In the decade since then, the foundation has evolved with the aim of “helping to break the cycle of disadvantage in Australia by giving people and communities equal opportunities to succeed”.

The foundation has its own First Nations Advisory Council that supports collaboration with partners “in a thoughtful, community-led and evidence-based manner to achieve sustainable and powerful impact.”

Following the referendum result, the Foundation issued a statement expressing its “disappointment” that the “generous invitation” of the Uluru Statement from the Heart had not been accepted.

Executive director Kristy Muir said at the time: “Important social change takes time and is often accompanied by setbacks.”

“We are proud of our support for Yes23 and thank everyone who has given their time, energy and support to the campaign,” she said at the time.