Independents to force action on gambling, lobbying laws (24 Apr 2025)
Article summary: Independent MPs, including Kate Chaney, are preparing to leverage their influence in the event of a hung parliament by pushing for stronger transparency and integrity measures in Australian politics. At a recent transparency forum, key crossbenchers — Allegra Spender, Zali Steggall, Monique Ryan, Andrew Wilkie, Kate Chaney and Senator David Pocock — outlined a united set of priorities aimed at reforming practices that they argue currently lack accountability and transparency.
The proposed measures include a ban on gambling advertisements, public access to ministerial diaries, stricter lobbying regulations, and enhanced whistleblower protections. A central theme across the crossbench agenda is the introduction of truth in political advertising laws, which Zali Steggall highlighted by drawing a comparison between the strict regulations in consumer protection and the absence of equivalent standards in political campaigns. “It's like we don't value our voting rights the same way as we value our consumer rights,” she said.
Senator David Pocock strongly criticised the state of lobbying oversight, calling current laws “an absolute joke” due to the fact that a majority of lobbyists are not covered by the existing code of conduct and face no genuine consequences for misconduct. Both Senator Pocock and Dr Monique Ryan have advocated in parliament for legislation requiring ministerial diaries to be made public, enhancing transparency around interactions between ministers and lobbyists.
Allegra Spender renewed her call for a total ban on gambling advertising, expressing disappointment at the Albanese Government’s decision to shelve proposed actions in this area. “This is a contest between vested interests who are winning to date, versus community interests who know that this needs to be banned and I will fight for that,” she said.
Spender is also engaged in a separate battle with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) regarding a case of unauthorised election materials. The AEC confirmed that one individual was behind the distribution of 47,000 unauthorised pamphlets targeting Spender in the Wentworth electorate. Although the AEC determined that the individual had no connection to any political party or candidates, it has not disclosed their identity and is still considering whether to pursue civil penalties after the May 3 by-election.
Spender criticised the AEC’s decision to withhold the individual’s identity, highlighting the broader issue of transparency in electoral processes. She questioned the logic behind this lack of disclosure, asking: “How can voters consider the source if the AEC will not identify that source?” This concern aligns with the crossbench’s broader calls for more robust transparency and accountability measures across Australia’s political system.
Kate Chaney, who has aligned herself with these initiatives, supports the broader push for integrity reforms, though she was not directly quoted in the forum. As part of this coordinated crossbench effort, she is expected to continue advocating for increased accountability mechanisms in government operations, particularly those that aim to strengthen public trust in democratic institutions.
Related article: Crossbench briefed on proposed gambling ad reform (21 Aug 2024)
