Photo: SMK
The hidden hands influencing policy.
LACK OF TRANSPARENCY
Australian federal lobbying practices and regulations have been subverted for decades, resulting in secrecy, corruption, and unfair access or influence.
Recently, a voluntary online register to track those who have special access to Parliament House was recently launched, created by ACT Independent Senator David Pocock due to a lack of transparency from the major parties regarding sponsored passes.
The “pass register lobby list” is aimed to promote transparency in Parliament House, and it lists individuals who have been granted “all-access orange passes” by politicians.
The goal is to allow the public to see who has privileged access to parliamentarians, as part of broader calls for lobbying reform.
Given that it is voluntary – can you guess what happened?
Major parties have chosen not to participate in the project, leading Senator Pocock to express disappointment and call on MPs to disclose this information.
Pocock said the secrecy surrounding passholders undermines trust in our political system.
“A pass sponsored by a parliamentarian provides privileged access. Access that potentially allows certain perspectives to reach decision-makers ahead of others. The public has the right to know who’s being given that privilege.”
This shouldn’t come as a surprise, and once again draws a spotlight on the fact the Albanese government is less transparent than its predecessors, according to analysis by the Centre for Public Integrity. This is despite Labor’s earlier promises to ‘enhance integrity’.
Freedom of Information (FoI) transparency has significantly declined, with only 25 per cent of requests fully granted under Labor, down from nearly half in 2021-22.
Catherine Williams, Research Director at the Centre, says that Labor’s actions suggest a “deliberate effort to avoid scrutiny”.
Pocock also warned that their frequent refusal to release information to the Senate — only complying one-third of the time — poses a significant threat to democratic accountability.
Parliamentarians who have disclosed those they sponsor passes for include: Allegra Spender MP, Andrew Wilkie MP, Senator David Pocock, Dr Monique Ryan MP, Dr Helen Haines MP, Senator Jacqui Lambie, Kate Chaney MP, Senator Lidia Thorpe, Nicolette Boele MP, Dr Sophie Scamps MP, Senator Tyron Whitten, Zali Steggall OAM MP, and Andrew Gee MP.
Well done to them for not being afraid to show where their allegiances are, and in most cases, these are the good MPs doing the right thing.
I wish I could say the same for the rest of the swamp in Canberra, who continue to be manipulated by unelected, powerful entities that most Australians have never heard of.
LOBBYING IN AUSTRALIA
Government transparency and the lobby system in Australia is criticised for being weak compared to other countries, with inadequate penalties and loopholes – particularly regarding in-house lobbyists and the use of sponsored access passes to Parliament House.
The public are becoming sceptical about lobbying; however, the scepticism mainly directed towards the politicians themselves, not towards those who engineered the process.
Let’s take a look at who is really pulling the strings. Most lobbyists are former political advisers, like the 10 leading members of Canberra lobbying firms that have in common almost complete public anonymity — as is the case with most political staffers.
Of those 10, perhaps Michael Photios, a former NSW State Minister, is the best known. His former clients include Tony Abbott, Kevin Rudd, Joe Hockey, Peter Costello and Mike Rann.
Australian lobbyists’ influence a who’s who of the biggest Australian and international corporations, including Apple, Nike, McDonalds, Macquarie Group, Aldi, Woolworths, Commonwealth Bank and Theiss – and this is only just scratching the surface.
Australia, despite being an industrialised and developed nation, experiences a variety of corruption and conflict of interest sagas in industries such as banking, health, and more.
Rotten Eggs: Corruption in Australia
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Not to mention the spider web of government jobs that is created to ensure a continued coercion of voters, who fear they may lose their cushy jobs if they don’t vote Labor.
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Without a doubt, corruption and conflicts of interest in government have a disproportionate impact on the poor and most vulnerable in Australian society, while also increasing costs and reducing access to services – including health, education and justice.
It erodes trust in the nation and undermines the social contract.
This is cause for concern, but particularly in contexts of health and politics, as corruption fuels and perpetuates the inequalities and discontent that lead to dehumanization.
The fight against corruption is a fight against the monopoly that has long ruled us.
Civil society can help by denouncing corruption and putting pressure on the government, as well as eliminating the interests of the politico-administrative apparatus.
To erode this problem in Australian society, citizens must help diagnose corruption and push for further justice, transparency and accountability to be deployed in response.
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‘Codes of Conduct’ (COC), AREN’T worth the Paper they are written on (And – Apparently, toilet paper stocks have been ‘Replenished’)! They’re a set of Comic Rules, NON applicable to a ‘Sub- Group’ of The ‘El Diablo & Fiends’ Cabal, produced as a TheatTrick veil, for UNobservants of the Servent Circle – Who’ve previously been SOOOoo Bad – Multiple times, that the COCs were deployed. This however, is a ruse, with the Behaviours of said attached COC ‘Recipients’ not only doing/being the same as previous, but with better P.R subterfuge – Are now going Gang-Busters in the NotMyGov.Con – ‘Private Partnerships’ Continental Wealth Stripping & ‘El Diablo & Fiends’ Agenda Policies installations!
Note; ‘Trust’, in it’s original Definition/Form – Has ZERO space/place in Western ‘CivilLies’d’ Operations, and has been removed from Dictionaries as – DIS/MISinformation ‘Speak’! It’s only retained meaning is a Cabal ‘Financial arrangement’.
Further references to The NotMyGov.Con/Private Partnerships being ‘In the best Interests of the Nation & Peoples therein’ – Usually touted by the Usual stand up COMIIC reps – ‘Nectar dripping from their collective Lips’- (Still Hand clasped with their CONfederates), in CAN’TBERRA & other Capital Cities Globally, whilst they release Policy – Increasing All Metric Burdens on the ‘Salt of the Earth Souls’, and ‘Releasing All Metric pressures on Corporate Finances & Operations’ – To Increase ‘MUCH NEEDED’ Foreign InvestMeants – Of Course!
News just in; Location OZtopia(Control – Viral effect); Reptiles@large are believed to be organising rallies nationwide, for ‘Abuses & Discrimination’ to their collective species, via ‘References’ to EntiTies operating in the – Corporate Co-opted Political arena – or CurRent CCP arena/swamp thingy.
Next; Why would folks be too surprised, in the ‘Refurbished’ RUM CORPS of Australia reappearance? Same old, Same old – Just better P.R., & Amani suits as ‘Uniforms’! – Until the Sheeple change the Lyrics – The Song remains the same.(Mind you, Not sure how that enabled ‘Fairness’, under Advance Australia ‘Fare’ – Here’s your Increased Rates Mate! – So it’s not actually a Given – Dependent on who’s doing the ‘Spelling’).
Last; Yes Minister/Yes Prime minister – An Australian Documentary. To that end, on a quiet evening in descending light across Lake ‘B a Griffin’, Can’tberra’s ‘Directors’ slither from the Slumber of the Bunker. Meanwhile, At a local restaurant;
Maitre D; “Welcome Prime Minstrel. Your usual table, overlooking the Peasants?”
Albo ForeverBendDaKneeSee; “No Reeves. I think I’ll try a Swamp view tonight. Besides, all those lobbyist, & Foreign Forearms – Even with the political REP (Rectal Expansion Pack) surgery, doesn’t seem as comfortable these days.”
Maitre D; “A view of the Swamp it is sir,- though why you’d want a view of the Political Orifice, affecting your other orifice, I’d expect is going to affect this evenings feast, and All Metric enjoyment outcome!”
Albo; ” Good point Reeves. Be a good Lad,& find me something of Benefit, that I can sit on and squash! I feel better and more Socially orientated now! HOORAH! Here’s my Platinum card – Charge it up!”
Wellness, Unity, Knowledge