2025-07-09
The Greens have slammed the Albanese Government’s cosy relationship with fossil fuel lobbyists, in the wake of the release of a new white paper exploring the deep failures in Australia’s federal lobbying regime.
The Centre for Public Integrity’s paper shows federal lobbying rules fail to deliver basic standards of transparency, integrity and equality, allowing lobbyists to operate behind closed doors with minimal oversight. It recommends legislated reforms including expanded definitions of lobbying, a ban on success fees, mandatory meeting disclosures, and the creation of an independent regulator.
With no area of government decisions seemingly spared from undue influence from lobbyists, the Greens say there’s no clearer example than the fossil fuel sector, and will prioritise lobbying reform when Parliament returns to restore public trust and stop fossil fuel interests from undermining Australia’s climate response.
Lines attributable to Senator Steph Hodgins-May, Australian Greens spokesperson for democracy:
“Political access is clearly for sale. Ministers aren’t required to disclose who they’re meeting with, and the revolving door between Parliament and fossil fuel corporations is alive and well.
“In fact, every living former federal Resources Minister now works in the fossil fuel industry.
“Gas and coal lobbyists have spent decades exploiting these loopholes to influence policy, delay climate action and protect their profits.
“Dirty fossil fuel executives who are selling out the planet’s future shouldn’t be writing our climate policy, but right now, they practically are.
“The lobbying system in Canberra is rigged to favour powerful interests while locking out communities who are fighting for climate action and a safe future.
“When Parliament returns, the Greens will be pushing to shut the revolving door, end secret lobbying, and put the public interest back at the centre of decision-making. That’s how we clean up politics and clear the path to real climate action.”