Australia’s first public disclosure of parliamentary pass sponsors names lawmakers linked to business and lobbying groups, while 1,086 older cards still await review under the new rules.
Parliament’s 2026 Private Area Access Policy requires two parliamentary sponsors for each sponsored card. Its FAQ calls for quarterly public reports listing the number of Sponsored-category cardholders, the organizations they represent and their sponsoring parliamentarians.
ABC News reported that the first release covered just over 100 passes. The Department of Parliamentary Services still had 1,086 cards issued under the previous system awaiting assessment under the new rules, the broadcaster reported.
The Guardian reported that Woodside Energy had three access cards and named Labor politicians Meryl Swanson, Glenn Sterle and Tracey Roberts, along with Coalition MPs Melissa Price, Rick Wilson and Susan McDonald, as sponsors. The report did not connect each lawmaker to a particular card. The Guardian also named Susan McDonald, Angie Bell, Matt O’Sullivan, Ted O’Brien and Dan Repacholi as sponsors of passes held by the Minerals Council of Australia.
ABC News reported that Responsible Wagering Australia had two passes. The group represents betting companies bet365, Sportsbet and Betfair, the broadcaster said. Shadow Health Minister Anne Ruston was the primary sponsor for chief executive Kai Cantwell’s pass. Sen. Raff Ciccone sponsored the other, with Ruston as its secondary sponsor.
Independent Sen. David Pocock called the disclosure a “hard-won win” for the community, ABC News reported. Christian Slattery of the Australian Democracy Network told The Guardian that the disclosure leaves the public without details about lawmakers’ contacts with lobbyists or the purpose of those interactions. The sponsorship data records access arrangements, but does not show whether meetings occurred or affected decisions.
The federal Lobbying Code of Conduct covers people lobbying for third-party clients but excludes companies and employees lobbying on their own behalf, according to the Attorney-General’s Department. A Senate committee in 2024 recommended considering a broader definition of lobbyist and legislation requiring all lobbyists to register and follow the code. Parliament’s policy sets a quarterly reporting schedule but gives no date for the next release.
