Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has backed a crackdown on lobbyists\u2019 access to Parliament House, arguing too many have been able to move through sensitive ministerial areas.<\/p>\n
Under changes to be imposed in the next two years, lobbyists seeking a parliamentary access pass will be required to obtain sponsorship from two MPs instead of one.<\/p>\n
The names of sponsoring parliamentarians will also be publicly disclosed, increasing transparency around who is granting access to the building.<\/p>\n
Mr Albanese has maintained he has never met a lobbyist in his office, instead meeting only directly with company chief executives.<\/p>\n
He also argued ministers should not be sponsoring lobbyists and believes the system allows too much access to ministers\u2019 offices.<\/p>\n
The move also follows Mr Albanese\u2019s decision to ban political fundraising events from Parliament House.<\/p>\n
Transparency International Australia welcomed the decision to lift the secrecy around who holds sponsored \u201corange pass\u201d access to Australian Parliament House.<\/p>\n
However, the independent organisation has warned that the reform leaves the larger weaknesses in federal lobbying rules untouched.<\/p>\n
\u201cKnowing who has unescorted access to ministers and MPs is the bare minimum the public should expect,\u201d said Clancy Moore, CEO of Transparency International Australia.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut access passes are one symptom of a lobbying problem that is still far too easy to game.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis includes publishing ministers\u2019 diaries, having a three-year \u2018cooling off\u2019 period to stop ministers parachuting into lobbying jobs when leaving parliament and making the lobbying register include in-house and industry association lobbyists not just lobbying firms.\u201d<\/p>\n