Monique Ryan (Kooyong, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question's for the Attorney-General. Aided by unenforced regulations, lobbyists seemingly influence all aspects of this government's decision-making. We have minimal insight into who walks the corridors of this place, who they're meeting with and why. Will the Albanese government support my 'clean up politics' bill and commit to finally regulating lobbying in this country?

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Kooyong for her question. To give this a bit of context, the Lobbying Code of Conduct was created by the last Labor government. It was one of the many integrity measures introduced by Labor in government, including a new code of conduct for ministerial staff and a strengthened ministerial code. The Lobbying Code of Conduct, which is administered by my department, is an administrative instrument. It exists to promote trust in the integrity of government, and to ensure that contact between lobbyists and government representatives is conducted in accordance with public expectations of transparency, integrity and honesty. Government expects that lobbyists and government representatives will comply with the code. It requires that any person who acts on behalf of third-party clients for the purpose of lobbying Australian government representatives must be registered and must comply with the requirements of the code.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is that like Simon Holmes a Court?

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It applies equally, in answer to the interjection from the Leader of the Opposition. The code also prohibits government representatives, including ministers and their staff, from knowingly or being intentionally party to lobbying by a lobbyist who is not on the register.

In February 2022 there were amendments made to the code, including introducing a power for the secretary of the Attorney-General's Department to bar a lobbyist who has committed a serious breach of the code, including unregistered lobbying, from registering for up to three months. I stress again: it works by requiring both lobbyists and government representatives to comply with the code. No government representative is to meet with someone who is lobbying who is not on the register.

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security is currently—as one of its many references; it's a very busy committee—reviewing the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme Act 2018, which also regulates lobbying and other influence activities on behalf of foreign principals. The government is looking forward to the report of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security and will consider any representations or recommendations that it may make.