Political lobbyists with unfettered access to Australia’s parliament to be publicly named

Political lobbyists seeking access to Australia's Parliament House will soon be publicly identified under a significant overhaul of the building's pass system. The new regulations mandate that two Members of Parliament must sponsor a lobbyist's pass, with the primary sponsor assuming responsibility for the lobbyist's conduct.

This move dramatically enhances transparency, as the current system offers no public insight into who sponsors lobbyist passes or how many passes individual MPs sponsor. As of mid-2024, over 2,050 sponsored passes were in circulation, though the exact number held by paid lobbyists remains unknown.

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maintaining the democratic openness of Parliament House, while ensuring that access to the private areas is appropriately managed, transparent, and aligned with community expectations

The review, conducted by House Speaker Milton Dick and Senate President Sue Lines following a suggestion from the prime minister for greater "transparency and rigour," aims to balance democratic openness with appropriate management of access. The revised policy strengthens oversight for individuals granted privileged access to Parliament House.

New categories for sponsored passes will be introduced. Political lobbyists will retain orange passes, while commercial representatives and community groups will apply for light blue passes. Commercial and community passes will list the sponsoring organization and MPs' names, but not individual pass holders. Access for former state and territory parliamentarians will be restricted to former premiers, chief ministers, and ministers. Furthermore, orange pass holders will no longer have unescorted access on weekends or between 5 a.m. and 11 p.m., and sanctions for noncompliance will be implemented.

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The revised policy strengthens the transparency and oversight of access passes issued to individuals who have privileged access to Parliament House.