PUBLIC SECTOR COMMISSIONER'S CIRCULAR

Government of Western Australia
Public Sector Commission
PUBLIC SECTOR COMMISSIONER’S CIRCULAR
Enquiries To: 9219 6100 Number: 2009-13
Office of the Public Sector Issue Date: 20 June 2007
Commissioner Review Date: 23 March 2011
Public Sector Commission
Supersedes: Premier’s Circular 2007/09, 2007/06
TITLE:
CONTACT WITH LOBBYISTS CODE AND THE REGISTER OF
LOBBYISTS
POLICY
The Western Australian Government has developed the Contact with Lobbyists Code
(the Code) to ensure that contact between lobbyists and government is conducted in
accordance with public expectations of transparency, integrity and honesty. A copy of
the Code is attached.
As required under the Code, a Register of Lobbyists has been established. The
Register provides information to the public, as well as the government, on who is
engaged in lobbying activities and whom lobbyists are representing in their dealings
with government.
Under clause 4.1 of the Code, from 16 April 2007 government representatives are not
to permit lobbying by a lobbyist who is not listed in the Register.
The Code defines a government representative as:
“a Minister, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministerial Staff Member or person
employed, contracted or engaged by a public sector agency”.
Any officers who are part of the public sector, as defined by section 3 of the Public
Sector Management Act 1994, are required to comply with the Code as if they were
government representatives as defined in the Code.
Chief Executive Officers are required to:
ensure that their staff are aware of the Code and their obligations set out in the
Code; and
amend the Code of Conduct of their respective agencies to reflect the content of the
Code.

BACKGROUND
In November 2006, Cabinet agreed to the establishment of the Contact with Lobbyists
Code, including a Register of Lobbyists, to preserve the integrity of lobbying as a
legitimate activity in the democratic process and to provide an open and accountable
mechanism for public scrutiny of lobbying activity.
The register is a publicly available document and contains information such as a
lobbyist’s business registration details, the names of people working as lobbyists within
the business and a list of the lobbyist’s recent clients.
Under the Code, government representatives can only have dealings with lobbyists, in
their capacity as lobbyists, who are listed in the Register.
The Register is available to government agencies and members of the public at
www.publicsector.wa.gov.au.
M C Wauchope
PUBLIC SECTOR COMMISSIONER
Other relevant Public Sector Commissioner’s Circulars:
n/a