Donations to LNP have almost doubled

Donations to Queensland's Liberal National Party have nearly doubled in recent years, Australian Electoral Commission figures show.

Last financial year, donations to the LNP totalled almost $15 million, up from $8 million the previous financial year.

The Queensland branch of the Australian Labor Party received a total of $7.9 million in donations last financial year, compared with $6 million the previous year.

Most of Labor's donations were from unions, including the highest, $509,000 from the Australian Workers Union.

Mining magnate Clive Palmer was again the LNP's biggest donor last financial year. Two of his companies, Queensland Nickel and Mineralogy, contributed $660,000 to the party's coffers.

Comment is being sought from the LNP about Mr Palmer's donations for the current financial year.

The new figures have been released amid Labor claims this week that Mr Palmer is attempting to influence the outcome of the March 24 state election.

Labor says Mr Palmer will expect special treatment from any LNP government.

Mr Palmer's company China First said on Tuesday it had launched an $8 billion lawsuit against rail operator QR National, which is more than one-third owned by the Queensland government.

China First has accused the privatised company of confidentiality breaches and misleading conduct over proposals for a new mining rail link.

The company says QR National walked away from a joint proposal to build the line.

"Now we have QR National in conjunction with the Queensland Government claiming it can build the rail link and create hundreds of jobs in what looks like a bid to score some political mileage in the government's bid for re-election," China First said.

It's not the first time Mr Palmer has taken legal action in the lead-up to a state election.

Three years ago, before the 2009 poll, Mr Palmer took defamation action against Premier Anna Bligh and Treasurer Andrew Fraser over comments they made about his influence over the LNP.

The three parties resolved the matter in mediation, after the March 2009 poll, agreeing that Mr Palmer would drop the action and each party would pay their own costs. The government paid Ms Bligh and Mr Fraser's legal bills.