Under the Lobbying of Government Officials Act 2011 and the Lobbyists Code of Conduct 2014, the following ethical standards and requirements apply.
All lobbyists must:
- disclose in advance any matter that they wish to discuss when seeking a meeting with a government official
- disclose any financial or other interest they may have in the matter to be discussed before the meeting commences
- not engage in any misleading, dishonest, corrupt, or other unlawful conduct in relation to their lobbying
- use all reasonable endeavours to satisfy themselves of the truth and accuracy of all material information that they provide.
In addition, third-party lobbyists and any individuals that they engage to lobby on their behalf, must:
- not meet or otherwise communicate with departmental officials unless registered on the NSW Register of Third-Party Lobbyists
- disclose, prior to any meeting or communication with departmental officials:
- their status as third-party lobbyists;
- the names of any individuals they have engaged to undertake lobbying on their behalf; and
- the name/s of their client/s
- not lobby on a matter that relates to a NSW Government board or committee of which they, or the individuals they engage to lobby on their behalf, are a member
- not make exaggerated or misleading claims to their clients about the nature or extent of their access to political parties or government
- keep separate from their lobbying activities any personal involvement with a political party
- not receive success fees for lobbying NSW Government officials.