Reform calls as big business dodges lobbying register

Majority of Australia's largest companies remain absent from the federal government's lobbyist register, prompting demands for improved oversight of government insiders. According to analysis from the pro-transparency group Australian Democracy Network (ADN), numerous corporations, such as the big four banks NAB and Commonwealth, gas giant Santos, and Qantas, fail to appear on the register due to not being required to do so.

Only third-party lobbying firms working on behalf of these businesses are mandated to register and follow a code of conduct. Over half of Australia's top 100 publicly listed companies and 70% of the top 300 businesses, valued at $1.6 trillion, do not have representation in federal lobbying lists. ADN chief executive Saffron Zomer stated that this lack of visibility raises concerns about Australians' understanding of how these businesses interact with government and the issues they engage with.

The register does list individuals contracted by each organization, including former cabinet ministers, politicians, and even former premier Morris Iemma, who has one client, Perth-based Twinza Oil. Former minister Christopher Pyne, on the other hand, has 67 companies under his lobbying firm's umbrella, many of which held portfolios under the minister positions he held.

Despite the register's usefulness for politicians in understanding who they are dealing with and potential conflicts of interest, ADN senior campaigner Christian Slattery argues that it lacks sufficient coverage, particularly for in-house and third-party lobbyists. Slattery recommends additional regulations, including timed bans for public officials transitioning into lobbying, and implementing ministerial diary disclosure to make public meetings with lobbyists as close to real-time as possible.

However, these reforms are unlikely to be enacted under the current government led by Anthony Albanese, who has previously resisted such changes. Nonetheless, a recent transparency reform was implemented in July, tightening access requirements following advocacy by independent senator David Pocock.