The Lobbyists’ Register is operating as it should and calls by the Greens to set up a new bureaucracy to deal with lobbyists should be dismissed.
Chair of the Finance and Public Administration References Committee Senator Scott Ryan presented a report on the Operation of the Lobbying Code of Conduct and Lobbyist Register to the Senate on Monday afternoon. He told the Senate the last thing needed is more red tape.
“The Lobbying Code of Conduct meets its objectives,” Senator Ryan said. “There is no need to create regulation for a system that is functioning as it should.”
The Greens have drawn on overseas experiences to argue Australia needs an entirely new independent agency plus new legislation to regulate religious organisations, charity representatives and even constituents who want to hold discussions with their elected representatives. This will cost taxpayers millions of dollars.
“Regulatory creep in other jurisdictions does not mean that we automatically need to do the same in Australia,” Senator Ryan, the Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Fair Competition, said. “There is no need for regulatory creep here.”
“Senator Rhiannon’s extreme proposal for all MPs and senators to keep a comprehensive log of who visits and what they discuss will hamper the role of elected representatives to adequately carry out their duties and be a huge time burden. Furthermore, there is absolutely no evidence that the current system is inadequate.”
He added that with no clear cut definition of who is a lobbyist, under the Greens’ proposal, more than 5000 people would be required to register representing a bureaucratic nightmare. A new regulatory burden may also deter individuals, businesses and community groups from getting involved in the democratic process.
“The Lobbying Code of Conduct is operating as it should, the Greens are wrong, we do not need yet more regulation and red tape. The Greens simply want to create another bureaucracy and more regulation – red tape in search of a purpose.”