Pharmaceutical companies that
use lobbying firms to gain access to government ministers
will be named under a new lobbyists'' register proposed by
the government.
Cabinet Secretary, Senator John Faulkner, released an
exposure draft of the Lobbying Code of Conduct which will
underpin the operation of the proposed register last week.
It will be considered by Cabinet in around two weeks.
The draft code says the register will include "the names
of clients on whose behalf the lobbyist conducts lobbying
activities". It will be publicly available through the
website of the Department of the Prime Minister and
Cabinet.
However, the draft specifically excludes industry
associations and companies that lobby on their own behalf
from the definition of "lobbyist". This has been
interpreted as excluding pharma company staff such as
government relations managers, staff of industry bodies
such as Medicines Australia and the Australian
Self-Medication Industry and staff of lobbying firms
working on contract for individual companies or industry
associations.
On the other side, the code allows Commonwealth public
servants as well as ministers and parliamentary
secretaries to see only registered lobbyists but permits
back bench MPs to see unregistered lobbyists.
The draft code also bans ministers and parliamentary
secretaries from working as lobbyists for 18 months after
they cease to hold office and places a similar 12 month
ban on their staff members.
Companies that fail to place their client lists on the
register or to update them quarterly will be barred from
access to government representatives, Senator Faulkner
said.
The Government is seeking comment on the exposure draft by
16 April.
Nick Lush
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