Lobbying Needs Tighter Control, More Transparency, Inquiry Told

As a parliamentary inquiry examines the access lobbyists have to Parliament and whether rules are adequate, it’s clear the majority of submissions think they’re not. The think tank Centre for Public Integrity has called for the lobbying code, which guides dealings with government representatives, to be made law to ensure compliance and increase transparency. It should also include penalties for breaches and make it possible to refuse registration to lobbyists though unsuitable or found guilty of breaches. The centre noted that its research shows organisations that lobby also donate to the major political parties, with some $43.5 million (US$28.6 million) disclosed by the industry since 1998/99. The amounts have substantially increased over the past 25 years by 555 percent in real terms....