Attorney-General's dept 'open' to more oversight of lobbyists

Lobbyists are set to face intense scrutiny from Monday as a parliamentary inquiry gets under way, with crossbench and independent MPs claiming the current system allows "maximum access and minimal transparency".

While the Attorney-General's Department mandates lobbyists declare themselves and adhere to a code of conduct, its powers do not reach into Federal Parliament.

There, nearly 1800 lobbyists hold security passes issued by the Department of Parliamentary Services, and can approach MPs in areas not accessible to the general public.

The pass system is not connected to the Lobbying Code of Conduct - meaning those found to have breached it could still roam Parliament.

In its submission to the inquiry, the Attorney-General's Department said it would be open to "exploring options to enhance the interoperability of these frameworks".

This would mainly involve information sharing, for improving compliance with the code, and to provide Parliament with information about lobbyists' compliance with it "which could inform decisions about their eligibility to hold a sponsored access card".

Data released by the agency shows the number of lobbyists, and the number of reported breaches, are growing.

The secretary and the Attorney-General have the power to ban lobbyists who are found to have breached the code.

DATA ON REGISTERED LOBBYISTS:

Of reported breaches in that period, seven were determined to be actual breaches, but none of them resulted in bans.

The department was satisfied that each of the lobbyists had taken the right steps to rectify the breach after engaging with them, a spokesperson said.

But critics say the department's proposed changes would not do the heavy lifting on reforming the system.

"I don't get any feeling from [the Attorney-General's Department's] submission that they have any real interest in expanding ... or increasing the powers or the effectiveness of the [Lobbying] Code of Conduct," independent MP Monique Ryan said.

Dr Ryan introduced a private members' bill in the lower house last year, which proposed sweeping changes to the rules. In particular, it would call for more oversight of in-house lobbyists.

Those lobbying for their employers are currently left off the register because their motives are thought to be sufficiently transparent.

Greens senator Larissa Waters, a member of the committee conducting the inquiry, said the current system had been designed to give lobbyists "maximum access and minimal transparency".

Lobbyists "with a significant and regular business requirement for unescorted access" to Parliament, can be sponsored by politicians to receive passes.

But the names of those who hold this pass, and of those who are sponsoring them, remain secret.

"At the very least we need to make sure that who is sponsoring who is made public," Senator Waters said.

Getting those details on the public record is what prompted independent Senator David Pocock to call for the inquiry last year.

The Department of Parliamentary Services told the senator in early 2023 that 1791 people held a sponsored pass.

"I believe if you're not willing to own up publicly to either having a sponsored pass or giving someone one - then maybe you shouldn't have one," he said.

"This kind of transparency is what our community expects and is easy to achieve."

Parliamentary Services said any changes to policy were a matter for Parliament.

Officials from both agencies will front the inquiry on Monday.