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Political lobbying

November

Anthony Albanese’s register of interests shows which official gifts he has paid to hold on to.

The gifts from foreign leaders Albanese has kept (and those he hasn’t)

There are strict rules for presents given to the prime minister and senior cabinet ministers. Here’s how the system works.

  • Tom McIlroy
Regional Express gave up to $100,000 in free flights to each of Liberals, Nationals and Labor.

Rex donated thousands of dollars in free flights to political parties

The regional airline, which is now under administration, flew party officials for no cost during the last two election campaigns, disclosures show.

  • Ronald Mizen

October

Airwallex chief executive Jack Zhang.

LinkedIn still a safe place for WiseTech’s Richard White

How do you know the stories are true, asked Tech Council member and Airwallex founder Jack Zhang.

  • Myriam Robin
Anthony Albanese and Peter V’landys inside the NRL chairman’s suite at the first State of Origin game last year..

NRL, AFL personally lobbied Anthony Albanese against gambling ad ban

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NRL chairman Peter V’landys have been singing from the same songbook when it comes to gambling advertising. New details suggest why.

  • Ronald Mizen
Former NSW premier Morris Iemma has added dozens of clients to his lobby firm’s books since Labor’s victory last year.

Iemma’s lobby shop going gangbusters amid NSW planning overhaul

Three of Iemma’s current and past clients might appear to benefit from the NSW government’s decision to seize planning controls of eight key Sydney sites.

  • Campbell Kwan
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John-Paul Blandthorn is the brother of LIzzie Blandthorn and director at lobbyist firm Hawker Britton

Labor insider files suit against Hawker Britton

Three months after flagging his exploration of legal options, Labor insider John-Paul Blandthorn has followed up on the threat.

  • Myriam Robin

September

From left, BCA CEO Bran Black, PM Anthony Albanese and BCA president Geoff Culbert.

Three ideas to sharpen up the Business Council of Australia’s act

Curiously, given business bangs on about innovation all the time, the BCA has failed to get the memo.

  • John Kunkel
Productivity Commission chairwoman Danielle Wood last week admitted that economists have lost power in policy debates.

How business and economists can become relevant again

A central problem is that good economic policies have not been well communicated and have often been debated in an echo chamber of elites.

  • John Kehoe
From left, former BCA chief executive Jennifer Westacott, Bran Black, president Geoff Culbert, and former president Tim Reed.

Tax and debt time bomb will hurt young Aussies, BCA chief warns

Labor and the Coalition are consigning younger generations to a future of higher taxes, ballooning government debt and poorer living standards, Business Council of Australia chief executive Bran Black will warn.

  • John Kehoe
BCA CEO Bran Black and president Geoff Culbert, former CEO Jennifer Westacott and former president Tim Reed.

Has the Business Council lost its mojo?

The peak body has been a fixture of power for much of its 41 years, but it is now at a crossroads to resurrect its influence.

  • John Kehoe and Patrick Durkin

August

Business Council chief executive Bran Black led the delegation to Canberra.

M&A crackdown: corporates protest in Canberra

Executives from large companies who are worried about planned tougher laws to block corporate mergers have taken their concerns to Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

  • John Kehoe and Aaron Weinman
ERA chief executive Brad Welsh and former Labor MP and Midnight Oils frontman Peter Garrett.

Jabiluka mining boss sidelined while Albanese met Peter Garrett

Brad Welsh, the chief executive of Energy Resources of Australia, says he was shocked about the abrupt cancellation of the lease announced last month.

  • Peter Ker
Stephen Jones and Anna Bligh agree on all things scams.

Stephen Jones shields banks in scam ‘war’

The financial services minister and banking lobby boss Anna Bligh are so aligned on scams that they are repeating each other’s words.

  • Updated
  • Hannah Wootton

July

Tabcorp’s director of corporate affairs, Daniel Meers.

Meet the lobbyists aiming to keep the gambling dollars rolling in

With the Albanese government’s gambling ad policy still up in the air, the Financial Review looked at who’s been hitting the corridors of power for sports betting firms.

  • Ronald Mizen

June

Hong Kong’s then leader Carrie Lam pushed through contentious national security laws ahead of a legislative council election in the city.

Ex-Crosby Textor pollster ‘deeply uncomfortable’ with Hong Kong work

The think tank which commissioned the research was founded by city’s former chief executive who remained a part of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

  • Kylar Loussikian
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April

Damian Kassabgi is the new CEO of the Tech Council.

Former Afterpay policy exec named Tech Council CEO

Damian Kassabgi, a former adviser to prime ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, is the new boss of the most prominent tech industry association.

  • Tess Bennett
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The unlikely CEO team tackling Australia’s toughest job

Bran Black and Luke Achterstraat represent business at the opposite ends of the spectrum but are determined to present a united front in Canberra.

  • Patrick Durkin
Senator David Pocock says the government should work with the crossbench if the Coalition won’t cooperate.

Disclose lobbyist meetings and federal minister’s diaries: NSW ICAC

The policy intervention from the state corruption watchdog comes ahead of its appearance at a Senate Inquiry on Monday probing access to Parliament House by lobbyists.

  • Ronald Mizen

March

PM’s former chief adviser guides Woolies through political crisis

Woolworths has hired Anthony Albanese’s former chief of staff, while Coles has a specialist well-known in C-suites and Canberra’s corridors of power.

  • Updated
  • Ronald Mizen
The tech giants have amassed an army of lobbyists in Canberra.

Meta flew in top reputation fixer ahead of news bombshell

The tech giants have amassed an army of lobbyists to deal with fights on news and tax. These are the fixers pounding Canberra’s corridors of power.

  • Ronald Mizen

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/political-lobbying-1n5z