Premier Alan Carpenter set in motion the establishment of a lobbyist register in state parliament today, telling members it was a "deliberately minimalist" step in regulating the sector.
Premier Alan Carpenter set in motion the establishment of a lobbyist register in state parliament today, telling members it was a "deliberately minimalist" step in regulating the sector.
The register will apply only to lobbyists representing third parties. Business groups, trade unions, religious and charitable bodies, as well as recognised professional and technical occupations will be excluded from the requirements.
Mr Carpenter told parliament Brian Burke, Julian Grill and Noel Crichton-Browne would not be permitted to register.
"Evidence submitted to the recent hearings of the Corruption and Crime Commission has shown that Burke, Grill and Crichton-Browne have, at the very least, shown an absolute contempt of standards of political proibity and a total disregard of the ethics expected of individuals operating in the sphere of public life," he said.
The register will require lobbyists to list their business registration details, details of employees and names of clients, to be updated every three months.
No Minister, Ministerial staffer, parliamentary secretary or public sector employee will be permitted to have professional contact with an unregistered lobbyist, with the register to be administered by the Director-General of the Department of Premier and Cabinet.
The standards will be applied through ministerial and public service codes of conduct from April 16.
Opposition Leader Paul Omodei said the register would not stop corrupt activity.
"You can't regulate for dishonest politicians or politicians whose ethical and moral standards are lacking," he said.
"Conveniently, Alan Carpenter has explicitly exempted trade unions from having to be on the register. That move speaks volumes as to where his loyalties lie and the fact that his register has no substance."
The full text of an announcement from the Premier's office is pasted below, followed by Mr Omodei's announcement
Premier Alan Carpenter today released the Contact with Lobbyists Code, which will underpin the operations of the Register of Lobbyists.
Tabling the code in State Parliament, Mr Carpenter said lobbyists could now apply online to the Director General of the Department of Premier and Cabinet to be included on the Register of Lobbyists.
The Premier told Parliament that Brian Burke, Julian Grill and Noel Crichton-Browne would be disqualified from the register.
"My Government recognises that lobbying is a legitimate part of the democratic process and in Western Australia, the overwhelming majority of lobbyists are honest, decent individuals who operate according to ethical business practices," he said.
"Unfortunately, the reputation of lobbying and lobbyists has been sullied through the actions of Burke, Grill and Crichton-Browne.
"Evidence submitted to the recent Corruption and Crime Commission hearings has shown that these three characters have, at the very least, shown an absolute contempt for standards of political probity and a total disregard of the ethics expected of individuals operating in public life."
The Contact with Lobbyists Code establishes rules for contact between lobbyists and Ministers, Ministerial staff, parliamentary secretaries and public sector employees; and standards of conduct for lobbyists who wish to be included on the Register of Lobbyists.
Mr Carpenter said the code was deliberately minimalist in its approach.
"It applies only to lobbyists who represent third parties," he said.
"It does not apply to business lobby groups, trade unions, religious or charitable bodies and recognised professional and technical occupations."
The Register of Lobbyists will come into effect from April 16 and will be administered by the Director General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, who has the authority to accept or reject applications or to remove lobbyists from the register.
The full text of Mr Omodei's announcement is pasted below
The Carpenter Government's public register for political lobbyists will not stop Ministers acting corruptly.
"You can't regulate for dishonest politicians or politicians whose ethical and moral standards are lacking," Liberal Leader Paul Omodei said.
"Unfortunately these appalling standards are what we have been seeing with this Carpenter Government.
"Conveniently, Alan Carpenter has explicitly exempted trade unions from having to be on the register. That move speaks volumes as to where his loyalties lie and the fact that his register has no substance.
"Alan Carpenter is holding this register up as a silver bullet for the problems his Government has with honesty and doing the right thing by the community.
"The main issue facing the Premier today is the honesty and integrity of his Ministers, not the activities of political lobbyists.
"Whether lobbyists declare their clients on a register or not will not stop dodgy Ministers acting inappropriately."