Regulating Direct Lobbying in New South Wales for Integrity and Fairness: A Report prepared for the New South Wales Electoral Commission

This report evokes the self-corrective spirit of New South Wales' democracy by critically examining a central aspect of the conduct exposed by the ICAC investigations - direct lobbying of public officials. The report closely examines the amendments made by the Electoral and Lobbying Legislation Amendment (Electoral Commission) Act 2014 (NSW) which establishes by legislation a Register of Lobbyists to be administered by the New South Wales Electoral Commission (NSWEC) and also provides for a Lobbyists Code of Conduct to be promulgated by regulations and administered by the Commission. It broadly welcomes these amendments - they unequivocally represent an advance in terms of the democratic regulation of direct lobbying in New South Wales.