CBH Group reassures farmers it ‘does not donate to political parties’ after donations tracker confusion

CBH Group has been caught in the crossfire of a crackdown to end the big-money arms race in Australian politics, with farmers left furious over what appeared to be — but wasn’t — a $20,000 cash donation to WA Labor. Social media exploded last week after farmers started sharing a live political donations tracker, which aimed to provide “near real-time disclosure of political donations” online. The tracker revealed CBH Group had “donated” a total of $37,475 to WA’s political parties during the current financial year, with $20,135 to WA Labor, $11,840 to the Liberals and $5500 to the Nationals. However, the tracker provided no context as to what constituted the payments. The new disclosure regime, implemented on July 1 last year, requires any donation above $2600 be declared — dropping the threshold from $16,900 — and parties must reveal their funding sources within a week of receiving them. Under the laws, all payments to political parties must be disclosed to the WA Electoral Commission, including those made for access to senior ministers at fundraising dinners or events. Trade Minister Don Farrell previously said the the mechanisms would limit “the disproportionate influence” wielded by big political party donors, and “stop the arms race of donation drives” and endless fundraising. A CBH spokesman was quick to clarify the co-operative was “apolitical” and “does not make political donations”. “As part of CBH’s broader government relations approach, CBH representatives attend business engagement programs and other events with all major political parties (Labor, Liberal and the Nationals),” he said. “CBH’s expenditure in attending these events is what is being disclosed by the WA Electoral Commission. “These events provide the opportunity to inform decision-makers of key matters impacting the CBH business. We engage in these opportunities across both State and Federal politics.” The disclosure regime meant the tempo of transparency increased during the election, with weekly disclosures during the first part of the campaign and daily in the week on either side of polling day. Data on the WAEC website showed CBH Group’s “gifts” to each of the parties ranged from $590 to the Liberals at the lower end of the scale, to $8250 at the highest, also for the Liberals, on September 29 last year. Other agricultural heavyweights listed in the tracker included S Kidman & Co ($99,000 to the WA Liberals), Pardoo Beef ($16,500 to WA Labor), Australian Livestock Exporters Association ($4000 to the WA Liberals). The tracker showed the WA Shooting Association had donated $32,200 to the Liberals, $28,500 to the WA Nationals and $23,000 to Legalise Cannabis WA. Meanwhile, the Sporting Shooters Association of WA donated $62,895 to the WA Nationals and $10,000 to the Liberals. Donations of less than $4000 were also listed from Peninsula Downs Dairy ($3850 to WA Labor), Dinninup farmer Hugo Bombara ($3965 to the WA Liberals), South West Hops ($8350 to WA Labor) and Wandering farmer Nicola Kelliher ($3000 to the WA Liberals).