The Guardian has revealed that Energy for Australians, which ran anti-Labor advertisements during the last federal election, was entirely funded by Coal Australia, a lobby group representing major coal miners such as Yancoal and Peabody. The group received over $1 million from Coal Australia and spent $135,620 on Facebook ads that reached at least 3.5 million people. Experts have labeled the campaign as astroturfing, suggesting it misled the public into thinking it was a community-driven initiative rather than a corporate-funded effort. A Senate inquiry has called for increased transparency in political funding, particularly regarding third-party groups like Energy for Australians. The organization claimed to advocate for energy independence through a mix of technologies, but critics argue it serves to distort public perception of support for coal. Coal Australia has previously funded other campaigns aimed at undermining Labor and Green party candidates, raising concerns about the influence of corporate money in Australian politics.