Corruption busters to consider lobbying laws at Brisbane meeting
The growing power of lobbyists over government will be the focus of a meeting of the nation’s top corruption busters in Brisbane.
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A POTENTIAL overhaul of laws governing lobbyists will be discussed amid concern over their growing power over politicians when some of the nation’s top corruption busters meet in Brisbane this week.
With the event co-hosted by the Queensland Integrity Commissioner, Crime and Corruption Commission and South Australia’s independent Commissioner Against Corruption, CCC chair Alan MacSporran said a best-practice standard would be discussed to register and regulate lobbyists.
“We want to discuss whether current oversight regimes adequately reflect public concerns about the amount of influence lobbyists appear to have on our elected officials,” Mr MacSporran said.
Integrity Commissioner Nikola Stepanov said the theme had been chosen as it was currently of particular relevance to all integrity agencies across Australia.
The move follows questions over Labor’s use of private-sector lobbyists used to work for Labor, and whose companies lobby the government on behalf of clients, a practice which has been defended by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.
It also follows warnings from Mr MacSporran during the election campaign to all candidates and MPs that he was watching them amid a blurring of the lines between the government and those who sought to influence it.
And it precedes a review of Dr Stepanov’s office that could recommend investigative powers or expanded jurisdiction amid an extraordinary rise in demand for her ethical guidance.
South Australia’s Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Ann Vanstone emphasised the importance of public trust in government.
“Part of our discussion will focus on what we as integrity agencies can do to ensure that the public can have confidence in the decisions being made on their behalf by elected officials and public servants,” she said.
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