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Queensland government rejects call to close secret lobbying loophole Queensland government rejects call to close secret lobbying loophole Queensland government rejects call to close secret lobbying loophole
(about 2 hours later)
The Queensland government is refusing to close a controversial loophole that allows secret lobbying of its officials by mining companies, property developers and industry bodies.The Queensland government is refusing to close a controversial loophole that allows secret lobbying of its officials by mining companies, property developers and industry bodies.
An independent review last year urged the government to tighten up its regime to record contact with so called “in house” and industry lobbyists, amid concerns by successive integrity commissioners that attempts to sway decisions were flying under the radar.An independent review last year urged the government to tighten up its regime to record contact with so called “in house” and industry lobbyists, amid concerns by successive integrity commissioners that attempts to sway decisions were flying under the radar.
But the premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, has revealed her government rejects the idea, in line with a parliamentary inquiry that found “current lobbying regulations achieve the intent of ensuring transparency regarding parties seeking to influence government officials”.But the premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, has revealed her government rejects the idea, in line with a parliamentary inquiry that found “current lobbying regulations achieve the intent of ensuring transparency regarding parties seeking to influence government officials”.
Palaszczuk on Friday tabled parliamentary papers showing the government agreed with the parliamentary finance and administrative committee that the “current definition of lobbyists” not be expanded.Palaszczuk on Friday tabled parliamentary papers showing the government agreed with the parliamentary finance and administrative committee that the “current definition of lobbyists” not be expanded.
Currently, only professional lobbyists are required to be on a lobbyist register and record their contact with politicians and bureaucrats – while company executives, lawyers and lobby groups like the Queensland Resources Council and the Property Council are not.Currently, only professional lobbyists are required to be on a lobbyist register and record their contact with politicians and bureaucrats – while company executives, lawyers and lobby groups like the Queensland Resources Council and the Property Council are not.
The government’s stance puts it at odds with the state integrity commissioner, Richard Bingham, who told the committee that extending the scope of the lobby laws, as New South Wales did in 2014, would capture “a larger proportion of the lobbying actually occurring”.The government’s stance puts it at odds with the state integrity commissioner, Richard Bingham, who told the committee that extending the scope of the lobby laws, as New South Wales did in 2014, would capture “a larger proportion of the lobbying actually occurring”.
Bingham said he supported this despite expecting that “any expansion of the lobbying regime will be opposed by some stakeholders”.Bingham said he supported this despite expecting that “any expansion of the lobbying regime will be opposed by some stakeholders”.
It follows a chorus for reform in Queensland in recent years from corruption fighters such as former judge Tony Fitzgerald and onetime New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption head David Ipp. Bingham’s predecessor David Solomon has called for the change since 2009.It follows a chorus for reform in Queensland in recent years from corruption fighters such as former judge Tony Fitzgerald and onetime New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption head David Ipp. Bingham’s predecessor David Solomon has called for the change since 2009.
Mark Ogge, a researcher with thinktank the Australia Institute, said the government’s refusal to lift the veil on such lobbying was “an outrage”.Mark Ogge, a researcher with thinktank the Australia Institute, said the government’s refusal to lift the veil on such lobbying was “an outrage”.
“You can drive a truck through Queensland’s lobbying laws,” he said. “At the moment, the CEO of a mining company can meet with the director general of the State Development Department and there’s no record of it whatsoever.“You can drive a truck through Queensland’s lobbying laws,” he said. “At the moment, the CEO of a mining company can meet with the director general of the State Development Department and there’s no record of it whatsoever.
“When you’re making decisions about allowing essentially the exploitation of state assets worth potentially billions of dollars, to have that degree of secrecy around those decisions is ultimately a recipe for corruption.“When you’re making decisions about allowing essentially the exploitation of state assets worth potentially billions of dollars, to have that degree of secrecy around those decisions is ultimately a recipe for corruption.
“It’s incredibly disappointing that Queensland’s parliamentarians, when presented with a perfect opportunity to clean up this kind of behaviour, are failing to act.”“It’s incredibly disappointing that Queensland’s parliamentarians, when presented with a perfect opportunity to clean up this kind of behaviour, are failing to act.”
Bingham in his annual report last year said that “the benefits of the current lobbying regime in Queensland may be perceived as limited”.Bingham in his annual report last year said that “the benefits of the current lobbying regime in Queensland may be perceived as limited”.
“The regime has effectively reduced the extent of lobbying undertaken by registered lobbyists, but it does not capture a significant percentage of the lobbying activity undertaken by others who are not required to be registered,” he said.“The regime has effectively reduced the extent of lobbying undertaken by registered lobbyists, but it does not capture a significant percentage of the lobbying activity undertaken by others who are not required to be registered,” he said.
“Companies and individuals seeking to influence government can avoid the need for transparency inherent in the lobbyist register by undertaking their contact with government in different ways, for example by using parties who fall within an exemption (such as their own employees, industry groups or lawyers).“Companies and individuals seeking to influence government can avoid the need for transparency inherent in the lobbyist register by undertaking their contact with government in different ways, for example by using parties who fall within an exemption (such as their own employees, industry groups or lawyers).
Ogge said professional lobbyists who did have to disclose their contacts with officials often “pave the way” for in-house lobbyists to follow up undetected.Ogge said professional lobbyists who did have to disclose their contacts with officials often “pave the way” for in-house lobbyists to follow up undetected.
Those contacts may show up in “scant detail” in ministerial diaries but nowhere else, especially with senior bureacrats, he said.Those contacts may show up in “scant detail” in ministerial diaries but nowhere else, especially with senior bureacrats, he said.
“At the moment mining companies and others have a direct line to the government, nobody knows what they say or the pressure they bring to bear,” Ogge said.“At the moment mining companies and others have a direct line to the government, nobody knows what they say or the pressure they bring to bear,” Ogge said.
“Some of these kinds of deals are the largest transfer of public wealth to private hands that the government can make, often worth billions of dollars.“Some of these kinds of deals are the largest transfer of public wealth to private hands that the government can make, often worth billions of dollars.
“These government representatives are meant to be acting in the interests of Queensland to get the best deal possible and protect people from the negative impacts of these projects.“These government representatives are meant to be acting in the interests of Queensland to get the best deal possible and protect people from the negative impacts of these projects.
“If they’re meeting in secret, and as we’ve seen, senior bureaucrats have cosy relationships with mining lobbyists, then there’s a massive risk of misconduct or even corrupt behaviour.”“If they’re meeting in secret, and as we’ve seen, senior bureaucrats have cosy relationships with mining lobbyists, then there’s a massive risk of misconduct or even corrupt behaviour.”
The 2015 strategic review by Queensland university of technology vice-chancellor Peter Coaldrake, recommended the registration of lobbyists be widened and that the integrity commissioner “collect and report statistics in relation to in-house lobbyist activities”.The 2015 strategic review by Queensland university of technology vice-chancellor Peter Coaldrake, recommended the registration of lobbyists be widened and that the integrity commissioner “collect and report statistics in relation to in-house lobbyist activities”.
Solomon in his final annual report in 2014 also called for stronger regulation of those lobbyists.Solomon in his final annual report in 2014 also called for stronger regulation of those lobbyists.
He wrote to the then premier Campbell Newman in 2014 saying he had been “concerned for some time … about the general issue of nepotism and patronage”.He wrote to the then premier Campbell Newman in 2014 saying he had been “concerned for some time … about the general issue of nepotism and patronage”.