This bill did not become law and is no longer proceeding.
Government & democracy
The bill would expand the public lobbyist registerThe public online list this bill would expand so people can see who is registered to lobby the federal government and, through returns, what lobbying they have done. to cover paid lobbying firms, service firms, and in-house lobbyists working for businesses and industry bodies.
Federal lobbying rules left most lobbying outside the code, hid who met ministers and about what, and made revolving-door bans unenforceable. Monique Ryan MP’s bill expands lobbyist registration and public returns, requires ministerial diaries, restricts gifts and conflicts, and lets the National Anti-Corruption CommissionThe federal integrity body that the bill would allow to investigate alleged breaches of the lobbying rules. investigate breaches.
Before the bill, Commonwealth lobbying rules relied on a limited register and code that did not cover much in-house lobbying, did not require federal ministerial diaries, and left cooling-off rules for former ministers and senior officials described as unenforceable. After crossbench and integrity advocates highlighted weak transparency and revolving-door risks through 2024 and 2025, Monique Ryan MP introduced a private billA bill introduced by a member of parliament who is not acting as a government minister, as Monique Ryan MP did here. to widen registration, require public lobbying returns and ministerial diaries, and give the National Anti-Corruption CommissionThe federal integrity body that the bill would allow to investigate alleged breaches of the lobbying rules. a role in investigating breaches, but it was later removed from the Notice PaperParliament's official list of business to be dealt with; removal from it meant this private member's bill stopped progressing in that form..
No significant public case against the bill is recorded so far; the available debate and public commentary instead framed the problem as weak federal lobbying transparency and enforcement. The recorded parliamentary speeches supported the bill, and no party represented in the debate opposed it or raised concrete drafting, cost, privacy, or implementation objections.
Monique Ryan MP introduced this bill. Speeches supporting it came from some crossbench members.
Did it become law?
No
The bill did not complete passage through Parliament.
Final passage
No final passage
The bill has not completed passage and is no longer proceeding.
Time before failure
211 days
From introduction to the final recorded step before the bill stopped proceeding
Meaning
The bill would expand the public lobbyist registerThe public online list this bill would expand so people can see who is registered to lobby the federal government and, through returns, what lobbying they have done. to cover paid lobbying firms, service firms, and in-house lobbyists working for businesses and industry bodies.
Professional lobbyists and in-house lobbyists would commit an offence if they lobby government representatives without being registered.
Registered lobbyists would have to file quarterly public returns showing their lobbying meetings, issues discussed, people attending, and extra client details for professional lobbyists.
Ministers and parliamentary secretaries would have to publish monthly diaries listing official meetings, phone calls, events, and functions linked to their ministerial responsibilities.
Former ministers and senior officials would face a three-year lobbying ban in areas they handled, with breaches investigated by the National Anti-Corruption CommissionThe federal integrity body that the bill would allow to investigate alleged breaches of the lobbying rules. and punished by fines or loss of registration.
It enhances the integrity of Government decision-making by extending the Register of Lobbyists to include registered professional lobbyists acting on behalf of third parties, services firms, and lobbyists acting on behalf of businesses and industry bodies (‘in house lobbyists’).Lobbying (Improving Government Honesty and Trust) Bill 2025 (No. 2) explanatory memorandum
This clause provides that a person commits an offence if they undertake lobbying activities with or in relation to a Government representative and they are a professional lobbyist or an in-house lobbyist and are not registered.Lobbying (Improving Government Honesty and Trust) Bill 2025 (No. 2) explanatory memorandum
It enhances transparency and accountability by requiring lobbyists to prepare a quarterly return that must be uploaded to the publicly searchable online Register of Lobbyists. It must detail all meetings with members of parliament and their senior advisers, must note the key issues discussed, and specify those persons in attendance.Lobbying (Improving Government Honesty and Trust) Bill 2025 (No. 2) explanatory memorandum
It requires the publication of Ministers’ diaries, such that meetings with both registered and non-registered lobbyists are disclosed. All meetings with stakeholders, external organisations and lobbyists that relate to the Minister’s responsibilities must be listed. This includes meetings held at office and offsite, scheduled phone calls, and events where a Minister attends in an official capacity. All events and functions attended by the Minister (or Parliamentary Secretary) that relate to their Ministerial responsibilities must also be included in their diaries. (This clause extends the publication requirement to Parliamentary Secretaries, because a Parliamentary Secretary is a Minister under s4 of the Ministers of State Act 1952.)Lobbying (Improving Government Honesty and Trust) Bill 2025 (No. 2) explanatory memorandum
It extends the post-employment cooling-off period for former Ministers and senior government officials and advisers to three years, in keeping with international best practice.Lobbying (Improving Government Honesty and Trust) Bill 2025 (No. 2) explanatory memorandum
Context
Before the bill, Commonwealth lobbying rules relied on a limited register and code that did not cover much in-house lobbying, did not require federal ministerial diaries, and left cooling-off rules for former ministers and senior officials described as unenforceable. After crossbench and integrity advocates highlighted weak transparency and revolving-door risks through 2024 and 2025, Monique Ryan MP introduced a private billA bill introduced by a member of parliament who is not acting as a government minister, as Monique Ryan MP did here. to widen registration, require public lobbying returns and ministerial diaries, and give the National Anti-Corruption CommissionThe federal integrity body that the bill would allow to investigate alleged breaches of the lobbying rules. a role in investigating breaches, but it was later removed from the Notice PaperParliament's official list of business to be dealt with; removal from it meant this private member's bill stopped progressing in that form..
David Pocock says major parties are delaying lobbying reform
The Guardian reported Senator David Pocock’s criticism that lobbying reform was being pushed off despite crossbench pressure for tougher rules on access to ministers and officials.
The Guardian ↗Lobbying reform advocates urge Labor to tighten the rules
The Guardian reported calls for stronger controls on well-funded political lobbyists, adding to pressure for clearer disclosure of who was seeking to influence government decisions.
The Guardian ↗Transparency International Australia study ranks Commonwealth lobbying transparency near the bottom
ABC News reported that a Transparency International Australia study found the Commonwealth ranked almost last on transparency and pointed to former ministers and senior advisers moving into lobbying roles, including in gambling.
ABC News ↗Monique Ryan MP introduces the lobbying transparency bill
In her second reading speech, Ryan said lobbying was a legitimate form of advocacy but had become a multibillion-dollar industry requiring a public register showing who met government representatives and on what policy areas.
Hansard ↗The bill targets missing diaries and unenforceable cooling-off rules
The explanatory memorandum said the Commonwealth had no legislative requirement for ministerial diaries, unlike New South Wales, Queensland and the ACT, and described existing post-employment lobbying bans as unenforceable and consistently ignored.
Lobbying (Improving Government Honesty and Trust) Bill 2025 (No. 2) explanatory memorandum ↗The bill is removed from the Notice PaperParliament's official list of business to be dealt with; removal from it meant this private member's bill stopped progressing in that form.
The parliamentary record shows the private member’s bill was removed from the House Notice PaperParliament's official list of business to be dealt with; removal from it meant this private member's bill stopped progressing in that form. under standing order 42A House of Representatives procedural rule used here to remove the bill from the Notice Paper., ending its recorded progress in that form.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Legislative route
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Key criticism
No significant public case against the bill is recorded so far; the available debate and public commentary instead framed the problem as weak federal lobbying transparency and enforcement. The recorded parliamentary speeches supported the bill, and no party represented in the debate opposed it or raised concrete drafting, cost, privacy, or implementation objections.
Criticism may emerge if the bill is scrutinised by committees or affected lobbyists.
Votes
No recorded votes were found before this bill stopped proceeding.
Parliamentary debate
Start here — lead voices
Monique Ryan strongly supports the bill and urges the House to pass it, saying it would lift transparency and integrity by creating a public lobbyist registerThe public online list this bill would expand so people can see who is registered to lobby the federal government and, through returns, what lobbying they have done., requiring disclosure of lobbying contacts and ministerial diaries, and tightening post-employment rules.
Read in Hansard ↗Kate Chaney supports the bill and says it is needed to make lobbying more transparent and accountable, because Australia’s current federal rules are weak and let in-house and other lobbying happen out of sight.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
2 speakers · 2 support
“Australians must be able to trust their government. They want this bill debated by their representatives and they want this law passed by this government.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I second the motion, and I'm pleased to again support the essential measures introduced in the member for Kooyong's Lobbying (Improving Government Honesty and Trust) Bill. I'm proud to stand with a group of crossbench parliamentarians who continue to fight so hard to reflect the wishes of their communities to strive for better transparency, greater integrity and more accountability in politics.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
House · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
House · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
House · Removed from the Notice Paper in accordance with (SO 42)
Removed from the Notice PaperParliament's official list of business to be dealt with; removal from it meant this private member's bill stopped progressing in that form. in accordance with (SO 42)
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
