Shocking new data shows how Australia’s biggest companies spent millions backing the failed Voice to Parliament – including Commonwealth Bank, Bunnings’ owner and Westpac

Australia’s biggest companies spent millions on campaigning for the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, new figures reveal.

All four major banks, big miners such as Rio Tinto, BHP and Woodside and retail giants Wesfarmers and Woolworths poured in more than $1million each into the push to get the Voice enshrined into the Constitution by last year’s referendum.

Topping the list of corporate donors was ANZ that pumped in over $2.2million into the Yes23 campaign but the Commonwealth Bank, Wesfarmers, Rio Tinto, BHP and Woodside also put in at least $2million each.

Westpac and NAB gave $1.4million and $1.3million respectively while Woolworths chipped in $1.2million, according to figures released by the Australian Electoral Commission.  

All donations of $1million or above went to the Yes campaign in the lead up to the October 14 referendum, with the largest sum coming from the non-profit Paul Ramsay Foundation, which gave over $7million. 

The next largest donor to the Yes was the Yajilarra Trust which gave over $4.4million.

Wesfarmers, which came just behind ANZ and the CBA in the amount it donated, owns Bunnings, Kmart and Officeworks among other businesses. 

The National Australia Bank made its $1.4million donation through its charitable foundation and two other foundations, Snow and Reef Shark, put in more than $1.7 and $1.4million respectively. 

The Woolworths donation was under its previous CEO Brad Banducci, who became a political target after the retailer refused to stock Australia Day merchandise.

This led to a call by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton to boycott the supermarket chain with some personal jibes aimed at Mr Banducci wanting to copy former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce by cosying up to the Albanese government.

Following a disastrous interview with the ABC over supermarket prices Mr Banducci announced he was stepping down in February.

However, Woolworths was again accused of being ‘woke’ when it was revealed late last month that would not be stocking the limited-edition Anzac biscuit tins that help support RSL Australia.

The tins typically reflect Australia servicemen and women serving in different eras and are available at Coles, Aldi and some Australian Post stores as well as selected independent retailers. 

“Let’s make sure that they get the message because it’s obviously not getting through,” Mr Dean said.

“Stop shopping at Woolworths until they stop being political – pretty simple message, Woolworths.”

The Yes campaign received almost five times the funding that the No campaign did, with the largest donor contributing to the case against being the B Macfie Family Foundation that donate $800,000.

In the lead-up to the referendum leading No campaigner Warren Mundine claimed corporations were being bullied and harassed into supporting the Voice.

He said investors and clients were threatening boycotts of companies if they did not back the Yes campaign.

Mr Mundine also alleged corporation feared supporting NO would put a company immediately offside with the government with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese taking the political lead in campaigning for the Voice.

He also said companies such as Qantas, which gave Yes campaigners free flights and adorned planes with a message in support of the Voice, were out of touch with their customers and even their own staff.

‘I jumped on a Qantas flight once and the pilot came down and said he was voting No,’ Mr Mundine said.

‘Ground crews were saying that.’

‘They (corporations) supped with people who made racial abuse and called Australians dreadful names because they had a different opinion.’

 Despite an overwhelming financial advantage the Yes case was soundly defeated at the referendum losing every state and being rejected by 62 per cent of voters. 

Leading No campaign group Advance received over $1.3million in donations while its fundraising arm Australians for Unity took in $11.82m with the two bodies spending $10.44m and $11.82m respectively during the campaign.

Clive Palmer’s company Mineralogy also spent $1.93million on its campaign against the Voice, according to its AEC disclosure.

Meanwhile, the official Yes23 campaign group Australians for Constitutional Recognition received $47.46m in donations and spent $43.82m. 

Another major Yes campaigner was the University of New South Wales,, which received $11.12m to campaign for the Yes case and spent $10.03m.

Between them those Yes groups received $58.59m and spent $54.13m. 

This does not include the amounts spent by other pro-Yes groups including trade unions, social groups and political parties.