A mining entrepreneur impatient with the South Australian Labor government’s approval process for exploration around Lake Gairdner national park has met with the SA Best leader, Nick Xenophon, and the Liberal leader, Steven Marshall, and donated to both campaigns.



Rudy Gomez, the founder of Cartwheel Resources, told Guardian Australia that he had met with both leaders within “the last three weeks” and contributed to their respective political campaigns.

Gomez confirmed to Guardian Australia a $50,000 donation to the SA Best campaign from Cartwheel Resources on 28 February.

No donation to the Liberals has yet been declared and neither the party nor Gomez would specify how much had been donated.

“I’m looking after the interest of my company and shareholders,” the 82-year-old businessman said. “The reason for these donations is, after so many years of Labor government, the company hasn’t done any work.”

The donation to SA Best has been reported following Xenophon’s call for a ban on large donations that “buy political influence”, which he made on 3 March in response to news of the $1.2m donation that Chinese mining magnate Sally Zou claims to have made to the Liberals.

SA Best spokesperson Frank Pangallo, a candidate for the legislative council, told Guardian Australia that the party only considered a contribution in excess of $100,000 as a large donation.

He said Gomez had met with Xenophon on several occasions and that Zou’s donation was a different issue as Gomez is Australian.

“Labor’s handling of cases like this is frustrating investment in South Australia,” he said. “Rudy’s proposal would create thousands of jobs in the state.”

He said the party would consider tax breaks or other incentives to attract investors to SA and speed up the approvals process.

A Liberal party spokesperson confirmed in a statement that Marshall had met with Gomez “to discuss opportunities to create new jobs in the mining sector”.

The spokesperson added: “The Liberal party is pleased to have received financial support from Mr Gomez and other South Australians who are sick of Labor and their anti-business agenda.”

Gomez has donated to Labor fundraising efforts in the past, including a $79,191 donation in 2010 that he described at the time as a “token” of gratitude for the Labor government awarding him a $100,000 exploration grant in 2005.

The grant helped Gomez, who was a sole prospector at the time, discover and assess the Carrapateena copper and gold deposit, out of which he reaped more than $100m in a deal with Oz Minerals, which in turn is developing a mine the company anticipates will generate 1,000 construction jobs and 550 ongoing roles.

Gomez said a mine at Lake Gairdner could be even larger, suggesting it would be “twice as big as Olympic Dam”.

Tom Koutsantonis, the state mineral resources minister, said he had met with Gomez several times about the project.

“Because of the sensitive nature of the Lake Gairdner area, the approvals are far more complex than a simple sign-off as Mr Gomez suggests,” he said.

According to a 2004 national management plan, the lake is protected on account of its largely unblemished natural scenery. Of particular interest are the site’s 200-odd islands, which make for specialised habitats for a diverse range of flora and fauna, including one island filled with red mallee and another featuring a unusually isolated lone specimen of western myall.

The Gawler Ranges people, representing the Barngarla, Kokatha and Wirangu people, hold the native title and continue to use sacred ceremony sites in the area. They have reached agreement with Gomez regarding the mineral exploration.

Xenophon is behind 49-51 on the two-party preferred measure to the Liberal incumbent, Vincent Tarzia, in Hartley. Marshall currently leads 53-47 over Labor’s Matt Loader in the seat of Dunstan, with his primary at 44% compared with the 2014 results, meaning he will have to rely on preferences, unlike in 2014 when he secured 50% of the vote.