New disclosure data shows Labor and Coalition members sponsoring major resource companies and online gambling lobby groups.
Australia’s federal politicians have granted powerful political lobbyists unfettered access to Parliament House, according to transparency data released on Tuesday. Newly published records reveal that both Labor and Coalition MPs are sponsoring permanent access passes for major resource companies and a prominent lobby group representing online gambling giants.
The disclosures stem from updated regulations governing entry passes to the private offices within Australia’s parliament. Under the current rules, MPs who choose to sponsor lobbyists and other private interests must be publicly identified on a dedicated register.
However, the initial batch of data published on Tuesday offered limited insight into the full scope of sponsorships. Officials confirmed that a significant backlog of more than 1,000 pass applications remains unprocessed, leaving much of the private influence network yet to be revealed.
