Ministers are required to disclose diary summaries detailing their scheduled meetings with lobbyists, stakeholders, and other external organisations

Footy players, a top chef and a former primer minister are among the select group of people to get the ear of Victoria’s politicians, newly released documents show.

Victorian ministers have been meeting with credit ratings agencies, top restaurateurs, AFL teams, and international state representatives, according to new diary disclosures released under new laws.

Following changes implemented last year by Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, ministers are now required to disclose diary summaries detailing their scheduled meetings with lobbyists, stakeholders, and other external organisations.

On Thursday, diaries were released for the second time in Victoria giving a sneak peek of who’s meeting with our top politicians.

In April, Premier Jacinta Allan had a meeting with former Prime Minister Julia Gillard for “general catch up”.

Jacinta Allan met with Julia Gillard. Picture: David Crosling

Ahead of the announcement Ms Allan would be visiting India, her first overseas trip as head of state, she met with the High Commissioner of India to Australia Mr Gopal Baglay and Dr Sushil Kumar, Consul-General of India in Melbourne for an “introductory meeting”.

In May, she also met with Jeremy Leibler, President, Zionist Federation of Australia to discuss matters of anti-Semitism.

Mr Leibler is also a partner at the law firm Arnold Bloch Leibler which was favoured under former Premier Daniel Andrews.

In June, she also met with former Melbourne Mayor Sally Capp “to discuss City of Melbourne policy priorities”.

This meeting came after Ms Capp had announced in March she was retiring and only days before she officially stepped down.

Consumer affairs minister Gabrielle Williams scheduled a tenant advocacy meeting with TikToker Jordan van den Berg back in June.

The controversial social media influencer was able to secure time with Ms Williams for a “stakeholder matter regarding tenant advocacy” alongside a government services executive director and a senior adviser.

The high profile activist has built a substantial profile through unusual and provocative means; mocking real estate agents and exposing vacant homes for squatters, amassing over 200,000 followers on TikTok.

Prevention of family violence minister Vicki Ward met with members of the Collingwood and Carlton football clubs to discuss tech abuse against women and respect initiatives in April.

In May, the Legalise Cannabis Victoria party discussed portfolio matters relating to skills, TAFE and regional development with MP Gayle Tierney.

Deputy Premier Ben Carroll took a meeting with one of the country’s top chefs and restaurateurs, Chris Lucas to discuss portfolio matters.

The meeting was also attended by CEO of the Victorian Employers’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry Paul Guerra, former Labor Minister Philip Dalidakis and a representative of investment firm KordaMentha.

Lucas is part of a new lobby group The Restaurant Cafe Association (ARCA) established in the last couple of months, to help the struggling industry but there was no indication this was the reason for the meeting which was listed as “portfolio matters”.

Multicultural Minister Ingrid Stitt failed to meet with a single Jewish group, despite the community recording a huge rise in antisemitism.

She, however, met with four Muslim groups, including the Islamic Council of Victoria and the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN).

Victoria’s treasurer Tim Pallas, took a meeting with Australia’s former chief scientist Alan Finkel to discuss hydrogen energy.

It’s well known that Mr Pallas is a supporter of hydrogen projects as a way of rebirthing the Latrobe Valley by converting the regions brown coal into low carbon hydrogen.

Tim Pallas met with former chief scientist Alan Finkel. Picture: Diego Fedele

But Government sources have said his passion is at odds with Minister for Climate and Energy Lily D’Ambrosio, who is strongly against gas and coal projects.

In June, Mr Pallas also took a meeting with Standard & Poors took a meeting with Anthony Walker, Director, SP Global

Rebecca Hrvatin, Associate Director, SP Global, “to discuss Victoria’s fiscal position”.

S & P downgraded Victoria from AAA to AA in December 2020.

The Herald Sun revealed this week that in the mid year S & P warned that Victoria was at risk of a record low credit rating if it pushed ahead with the Suburban Rail Loop.