Stronger powers and bigger penalties needed to ‘investigate and punish’ unregistered lobbyists and those who break government’s code of conduct, critics say
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Leading lobbyists are urging the federal government to strengthen investigative powers and penalties to crack down on rogue operators, including through new laws that would add corporate interests to a transparency register.
The Greens leader, Larissa Waters, told Guardian Australia this week that the party would use its balance of power position to push for tougher rules on the cashed-up lobbying industry in the new parliament, calling current rules “really weak and effectively nonexistent”.