Parliamentary Access: Lobbyists Hold Keys to Canberra

Australia’s largest fossil fuel company, Woodside Energy, holds three permanent access cards to Parliament House. The cards were sponsored by three Labor MPs and three Coalition MPs, according to data released on Tuesday. This marks the first public disclosure of who sponsors access for private interests under new transparency rules.

The data shows that both major parties have facilitated entry for powerful industry groups. Woodside Energy’s passes were backed by Labor’s Meryl Swanson, Glenn Sterle, and Tracey Roberts, as well as Coalition MPs Melissa Price, Rick Wilson, and Susan McDonald. The Minerals Council of Australia also secured access, with sponsors including Susan McDonald and Coalition frontbenchers Angie Bell, Matt O’Sullivan, and Ted O’Brien.

Other major corporations received similar treatment. ConocoPhillips, an American oil and gas giant, has access sponsored by Nationals MP Colin Boyce and Labor’s Mike Freelander. The Australian Energy Producers gas lobby group is sponsored by David Smith, the member for Bean. Alinta Energy has passes sponsored by shadow energy minister Dan Tehan and Labor’s Dan Repacholi.

The gambling industry also holds significant access. Responsible Wagering Australia, which represents bet365, Sportsbet, and Betfair, has two passes. These are sponsored by shadow health minister Anne Ruston and Labor’s Raff Ciccone. Kai Cantwell, the group’s chief lobbyist, previously served as a staffer for Ruston. He was a key witness in an earlier inquiry into gambling advertising legislation.

The new rules require two MPs to sponsor any lobbyist seeking a pass. Before this change, there was no public record of the more than 2,000 people holding access to the building’s private areas. This lack of transparency had frustrated members like David Pocock, the ACT independent. Pocock now sponsors passes for the Australian Construction Industry Forum and other organizations.

The data release came after a review by House speaker Milton Dick and Senate president Sue Lines. In March, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called for greater rigour in tracking sponsored pass holders. However, the initial release covers only a fraction of the total. The Australian Democracy Network estimates that 80% of registered lobbyists are still missing from the register. A backlog of more than 1,000 applications remains unprocessed.

Christian Slattery, a spokesman for the Australian Democracy Network, said the partial disclosure covers about 10% of existing passes. He argued that the system does not provide meaningful information about who representatives meet or why. Slattery called for new national laws to regulate lobbying conduct and establish a dedicated regulator. Journalists working in Parliament House must also apply for passes, requiring support from a bureau chief and endorsement by the press gallery committee.