Not all lobbyists lie and mislead and some are crucial to democracy,a corruption watchdog commissioner has said.
A parliamentary inquiry examining the levels of lobbyist access to Parliament House has heard calls for enforceable standards,with harsher penalties for those who break them.
In an unusual intervention for a state-based corruption watchdog,the NSW ICAC chief commissioner John Hatzistergos appeared at the federal Senate inquiry,claiming that although lobbyists have been associated with corruption risks,some provide vital feedback to political systems.
“Lobbying,when done well can enhance rather than detract from good decision-making by public officials,” Hatzistergos told the parliamentary committee on Monday.
“In this way,lobbying is essential to the success of representative government.”
Managing director of lobbying firm Hawker Britton,Simon Banks,said a code of conduct legislated by parliament was needed to ensure standards were kept.
“There needs to be co-operation between the various parts of government,but I think the simplest way of doing it is to put it in legislation,create a common legislative framework all parts of government can connect into,” he told the inquiry.
Enshrining the code would bring the Commonwealth up to date with Canada,the UK and most of the nation’s states.
While the Attorney-General’s Department administers a code of conduct for lobbyists,it does not extend to lobbyists who have access to Parliament House.
There are almost 1800 lobbyists that have been issued security passes for Parliament House after being sponsored by an MP,who are then allowed to roam the corridors unaccompanied.
AAP