Ending corporate influence in Australian politics
KEY PROJECT | Democratic Freedoms
Big corporations shouldn’t be allowed to manipulate politicians to put their profits ahead of our wellbeing. The Human Rights Law Centre advocates for changes to laws and policies to end the cycle of corporate influence in our political system.
Big corporations should not be able to use their vast wealth to manipulate our politicians for financial gain. Australia is falling well behind other advanced democracies when it comes to regulating corporate influence over our federal politicians.
What is considered illegal and corrupt conduct in many places is business as usual in Canberra. The Human Rights Law Centre advocates for changes to laws and policies to end the cycle of corporate influence in our political system.
In January 2022, we released a major report: Selling Out: How powerful industries corrupt our democracy. The report highlights how big industries are capitalising on Australia’s weak integrity laws and outlines the tools they use to influence politicians. These tactics include hiring teams of lobbyists, including former politicians; buying influence with multimillion-dollar political donations; and launching punishing public attack campaigns to bend politicians to their will.
Selling Out also details the human cost of this form of legalised corruption, from lives destroyed by addiction to whole communities lost to climate change-induced natural disasters. The report provides clear solutions to stop the cycle of corporate influence in our politics.
To address corporate influence in our political system, we work in partnership with other civil society organisations on the #OurDemocracy project. This moment presents a key opportunity to:
end the cycle of cash for access, so harmful industries can’t give big donations to politicians in exchange for secret meetings and political favours; and
level the playing field in our election debates, so voters hear from those with the best ideas, not just those with the biggest bank balance.