Lobbying reform the next frontier for political integrity in Australia
The Human Rights Law Centre today welcomed Monique Ryan’s Lobbying (Improving Government Honesty and Trust) Bill 2023 (the Bill) as the most ambitious proposal to regulate lobbying put before federal parliament in decades.
Federal laws to regulate lobbying are currently weak and poorly enforced. This Bill would strengthen these laws by extending the lobbyist register to all professional lobbyists, including those who work in-house. Registered lobbyists would need to make regular disclosures regarding which politicians they have met with, and key issues discussed. The Bill would also require Ministers to release their diaries publicly, and it would decrease the risk of corruption by extending the cooling-off period for Ministers and advisers to three years after retirement from public office.
If passed, the Bill would bring Australia in line with some of the strongest lobbying transparency laws in the world, including Ireland, Canada and Scotland.
Alice Drury, Acting Legal Director at the Human Rights Law Centre said:
“Lobbying in Canberra is a highly professionalised, lucrative multi-billion dollar a year business, dominated by big industries like fossil fuels, gambling and alcohol. Voices representing community interests are far outnumbered.”
“Australians are losing faith in government because they see that politicians are listening to their mates in the corporate box and out on the golf course instead of their communities.
“The current laws in place to make lobbying transparent aren’t worth the paper they’re written on. They’re weak, full of loopholes, and almost never enforced.
“Monique Ryan’s Bill would be a huge step in the right direction for improving transparency and accountability in politics. It would help protect Australia from corruption, and ensure that our elected representatives make important decisions for the benefit of our communities, not their own profit.
“Last election, the Australian people made it clear that integrity was a top priority for this Parliament. It has passed laws to create the National Anti-Corruption Commission – this bill is the logical next step.”
Media Contact:
Thomas Feng
Media and Communications Manager
Human Rights Law Centre
0431 285 275
Thomas.feng@hrlc.org.au
Media Enquiries
Chandi Bates
Media and Communications Manager
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Acknowledgement of Country
The Human Rights Law Centre acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands across Australia, including the lands of the Wurundjeri, Boon Wurrung, Gadigal, Ngunnawal, Darug and Wadawurrung people where we work from.
We pay our respect to Elders past and present. This land always was, and always will be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land. Sovereignty has never been ceded.
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