Qld integrity report: Rise of lobbyists ‘has helped outcomes that might not otherwise have been possible’

Labor-aligned lobbyists Evan Moorhead and Cameron Milner shouldn’t be lobbying during this term of government after working on the 2020 election campaign, the Coaldrake Review has suggested.

Labor-aligned lobbyists Evan Moorhead and Cameron Milner shouldn’t be lobbying during this term of government after working on the 2020 election campaign, a review into the Palaszczuk government’s integrity and accountability has suggested.

In a scathing assessment of lobbying operations and the government in Queensland, Professor Peter Coaldrake has recommended banning lobbyists from working as political campaigners writing that it “naturally raises suspicion” which can’t be fixed by promising to impose “Chinese walls”.

And he wrote that growth in the state’s lobbying industry was being caused in part by the “increased hollowing out” of the public sector by the use of external consultants and the “sophistication” of lobbyists themselves.

Evan Moorhead.

Prof Coaldrake found in recent times there had been a rise of lobbyists “unquestionably attached politically to the governing side of politics with understanding of the system”.

“That has helped secure outcomes that might not otherwise have been possible,” he wrote. “The growth of lobbying activity reveals what this review believes is a market failure: the failure of government itself to be able to deal with business and community interests without the involvement of a paid intermediary.”

While not naming Mr Moorhead and Mr Milner, both former Labor state secretaries, the review suggested “if an individual plays a substantive role in the election campaign of a prospective government, they should be banned from engaging in lobbying for the next term of office”.

Cameron Milner.

The government came under fire in late 2020 following revelations Mr Moorhead, a director at Anacta Strategies, and Cameron Milner, a director at Next Level Strategic Services, worked on Labor’s state election campaign. Annastacia Palaszczuk then earlier this year conceded there was a “blurring” of lines in the lobbying industry following news that her former deputy chief of staff Denise Spinks, who recently left the public service, now worked as a consultant at Anacta. Prof Coaldrake wrote a “good number” of Queensland lobbyists had previously held powerful positions in government.

“The solution is similarly entwined with a number of approaches, each aimed at making the activities of government less opaque, hence reducing the need for paid assistance to deal with the state,” he wrote. His report heard about “dual-hatting” and that lobbying firms needed to be clear about “what hat they are wearing and when”.

In a swipe at the economics and governance parliamentary committee, Prof Coaldrake wrote it had only “noted” the recommendations that would do most to better transparency made by Kevin Yearbury regarding lobbying.

Professor Peter Coaldrake took aim at the Economics and Governance parliamentary committee’s Kevin Yearbury, pictured.

“Although that committee chose not to recommend such actions, there is a need to do so, perhaps in some respects going even further than recommended by Yearbury,” he wrote.

Prof Coaldrake wrote that most people would be “incredulous” at the idea that a lobbyist working with a political leader could not later exercise “special influence”.

“A sound approach would be for political parties and the lobbying firms themselves to recognise the damage to confidence in the system that arises from a willingness to create such conflicts,” he wrote.

Among recommendations, Prof Coaldrake wants the Auditor-General to audit the lobbying register, ministerial diaries and public records to ensure they are being complied with.

All professionals offering paid lobbying services should be registered as lobbyists and both Ministers and their staff’s diaries should be published. He also suggested changing the legal definition of “incidental lobbying” so “individuals cannot escape regulation simply by virtue of their position of employment within an accounting or consulting firm.”

The Premier on Monday revealed it would be expanded to include consultants, communication specialists and advisers at lobbying firms.

“The Premier announced some changes to lobbying regulations on the eve of this final report, an action portrayed as urgently responding to community concerns,” Prof Coaldrake wrote. “This review welcomes the emphasis and looks forward to similar urgency in implementing its full package of recommendations.”

He wrote lobbying played a role in shaping good policy ­development but it was necessary to “ensure the ­practice does not curb or interfere with two elements which are central to good government: equal access to decision-makers; and ensuring decisions are free from undue influence”.

He also quoted a former Queensland government minister who said: “It is an affront to all good government principles that those who have the ability to pay get priority … there is a need for greater clarity on how ministers engage. There are no rules.”