Australian politicians sponsor permanent parliament passes for major industry lobbyists

Labor and Coalition members of parliament in Australia are sponsoring permanent access to Parliament House for major resources companies and a lobby group representing online gambling giants, according to the Guardian. The finding comes following the first public data release under updated rules regarding access passes. [1]

The updated rules require politicians who sponsor lobbyists and other private interests to disclose those connections on a public register. The Guardian reported that Tuesday's initial data publication provided limited detail and revealed a backlog of more than 1,000 passes. [1]

Lobbying is a form of legal advocacy designed to directly influence policy decisions made by legislators, executive regulatory agencies, or judges. It serves as a primary component of government relations by directly advocating for or against specific regulations and legislation. [2]