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

Australia's Parliament House will implement new transparency rules requiring political lobbyists with access to be publicly identified in an online register, starting in June 2026. Under these revised regulations, two Members of Parliament (MPs) must sponsor a lobbyist's registration for a pass, with the primary sponsor assuming responsibility for the lobbyist's conduct. This initiative aims to increase accountability by making the relationships between lobbyists and sponsoring MPs visible to the public. The changes also introduce fees for lobbyist and commercial passes, further formalizing the access process. This overhaul of the pass system is designed to provide greater insight into who is influencing political decisions within the Australian federal government.