Launched in 2018 as a conservative answer to GetUp!, the group Advance likes to style itself as the voice of the average person against “the elite"._

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A list of its donors, including some of Australia’s wealthiest, shows something entirely different.

A conservative political lobbying group with close links to the Liberal Party, Advance aggressively campaigns against renewable energy, making such false claims that offshore wind farms kill whales. It has painted those in immigration detention as “rapists, paedophiles and murderers”, opposes gender identity questioning, and continues to strongly campaign against an Indigenous Welcome to Country. It offers unquestioning support for Israel, while calling for retention of the current Australian flag.

It charges these issues are identified with a “woke elite” (often identified with those of the inner city, having as their beverage, latte and chardonnay), who are nefariously leading Australia on a path benefitting them, while harming the “average person in the street". 

Advance, closely aligned with the Liberal Party’s far-right, including former prime minister Tony Abbott and current members Andrew Hastie and Jacinta Price, is highly critical of the party’s moderates such as current leader, Sussan Ley, actively agitating for change in the Liberal leadership.

It has also closely identified itself with the Trump-led MAGA movement, making clear it wishes to build something similar. Advance spokeswoman, Sandra Bourke asserted, “Trump’s leadership shows what Australia could achieve.”

In spite of casting itself as opposing “the woke elite”, terms it constantly uses, on turning to Advance’s donors, we find an organisation a long way removed from the “average punter”. 

The Australian Electoral Commission reports that Advance declared donations mounting to $15,676,823 over the 2023-24 financial year, a substantial rise from $5.2 million the previous year.

The AEC figures show the largest donor as being the Cormack Foundation, which tipped $500,000 into the Advance coffers. 

Named after Liberal Party elder Magnus Cormack, it was created in 1988 to house $15 million from the proceeds of the sale of Melbourne radio station 3XY. It now has assets of some $120 million.

Under electoral law, Cormack Foundation is registered as an “associated entity” of the federal Liberal Party and the Liberal Party’s Victorian branch, allowing it by Victorian law, to funnel massive donations, bypassing usual political donation laws.

Major donors to the Cormack Foundation are the Commonwealth Bank $1183 million, Rio Tinto $555,629, National Australia Bank $542,000, Wesfarmers $533,500, and BHP Billiton $430,000.

The Foundation’s former chairs, John Howard and Richard Alston, have been, since September 2024, replaced by Peter Costello and Caroline Elliott. Liberal royalty all round. From 1992, the Foundation has been chaired by Woodside boss, Charles Goode.

The largest recent donor to Advance however, has been Hadley Holdings, a nebulous Perth-based shell company, which in November 2022 donated $1 million. It lists 94-year-old Brian Hadley Anderson, who made his money in used cars, mining, and engineering, and accountant Lena Hilton, as directors. 

Hadley Holdings is owned by Anderson Nominees Pty Ltd, which is in turn owned by Yardia Pty Ltd, which, contrary to the Corporations Act, 100% owns itself. The actual beneficial ownership of the three entities is unknown. Tellingly, Hadley Holdings shares an address with Orion Petroleum, the latter self-described as, “an International energy and commodities trading company".

Another major backer for Advance is Silver River Investment Holdings, contributing $250,000 in April 2024 following an earlier donation in August 2022 of $150,000. Silver River Investments’ directors are Simon and Elizabeth Fenwick, who made their fortune on Wall Street. Simon, co-founder of multi-billion-dollar US-based International Value Advisers, is a director of the IPA. Elizabeth is listed as the sole director of Cartwright Investment Corp. A notorious climate change denier, Simon announced his intention to start bankrolling Advance Australia in 2020, citing concerns about “left-wing agendas” and “dictatorial” politicians like Dan Andrews.

JMR Management Consultancy Services, another substantial donor, twice gave $50,000 in February 2024 and September 2022, topped by a prior donation of $75,000 in September 2021. Its director, Brett Keith Ralph, also serves as director of the NRL team Melbourne Storm. His support of Advance makes understandable the controversial last-minute cancellation of Welcome to Country for a Melbourne Storm match on Anzac Day 2025. He also owns courier company Jet Couriers.

Sizeable donations, totalling $125,000, also came from Rodney O’Neil through several holding companies, Willimbury, Sixmilebridge and Nedigi, all registered to the same PO Box. The family made its money in mining, quarries and concrete, under the late patriarch Les O’Neil.

Another major Advance contributor, Henroth Investments Pty Ltd, handed the group $50,000 in June 2024. One of its directors, John Roth, owner of the gelato chain Gelatissimo, is the husband of the special envoy to combat antisemitism, Jillian Segal, no doubt reinforcing the strong pro-Israel sentiment of Advance. 

Dr Bryant Macfie is another generous donor, giving $100,000 in March 2023. Macfie is just one of three honorary life members of the IPA, another being Gina Rinehart. He made headlines in 2008 when he channelled $350,000, via the IPA, to the University of Queensland for “climate research”. In launching the funding, Macfie likened “climate activism” to a new religion, declaring “the crucifix has been replaced by the wind turbine”.

Advance also received in June 2024, $100,000 from Roger and Lesley Gillespie. Roger is co-founder and executive chairman of Bakers Delight, the largest national chain of bakeries in Australia with nearly 700 bakeries operating throughout Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the US.

Sam Kennard, well known through his storage business, is another weighty donor, kicking in $100,000 in February 2023 through his Siesta Holdings.

With the major donors revealed, it is clear Advance, contrary to its presentation, is hardly a movement of the ordinary person against “the elite”, but rather represents their interests. 

Advance’s core campaigns against renewable energy and Aboriginal rights constitute the vested interests of many of their major contributors, (including those coming indirectly through the Cormac Foundation), particularly in the mining and energy sectors. Other campaigns around nationalism and the flag, gender identity, and immigration are aimed at garnering that popular support, which allows Advance to appear “ordinary".

With Advance, clearly not all is as it is made to appear. 

The views expressed in this article may or may not reflect those of Pearls and Irritations.