In the dying days of Clive Palmer's company Queensland Nickel, more than $10 million was donated from various businesses to his political group Palmer United Party.
In records released by the Australian Electoral Commission on Monday, donations from several Palmer-owned ventures were laid bare, including $5,947,720 from Townsville refinery Queensland Nickel, which subsequently went under voluntary administration, sacking all workers and owing $30 million in employee entitlements, along with an estimated $70 million to creditors.
It was the single largest political donation of 2014-15.
The Palmer United Party also received $3,628,345 from the Palmer-owned Mineralogy, whose wife is the director, as well as $7,775 from Palmer Leisure and $191,113 from Palmer Coolum Resort.
Across the board, political donations were down year on year by $50,000.