In light of a controversial article featured on page three of today’s Hobart Mercury, Michael Easton, the CEO of the Integrity Commission, has issued a statement clarifying the stance of his agency on the matter.
The Mercury article had claimed that the names of the owners of lobbying entities would not be disclosed on the Tasmanian Register of Lobbyists. Contrary to these allegations, Easton emphasized that the names of these owners are indeed listed on the Register and will continue to be so. He provided evidence of this fact by referring to a specific person’s name that is currently visible on the Register.
The correspondence discussed in the Mercury’s piece revolved around the requirement for lobbying entities’ owners to provide statutory declarations confirming they have not been convicted of a dishonesty offence or served more than 24 months in prison. According to Easton, this issue has no impact on the public accessibility of their names via the Register.
Easton also provided context to the emails mentioned in the story, which were sent on 10 July 2023. He clarified that these communications did not influence the decision not to require lobbyists to submit statutory declarations this year. That resolution, he stated, had been made over ten days prior, on 29 June 2023.
Full Statement from from CEO of the Integrity Commission Michael Easton:
“The story on page three of today’s Hobart Mercury states the owners of lobbying entities will not be displayed on the Tasmanian Register of Lobbyists.
This is incorrect. The names of the owners of lobbying entities are on the Register and will remain on the Register.
The name of the person referred to in the article is on the Register as can be seenhere.
The issue addressed by the emails which the article refers to was whether, or not, the owners of lobbying entities would be required to provide statutory declarations stating that they have not been convicted of a dishonesty offence or served more than 24 months in prison. Again, this has no impact on their names being made public via the Register.
Further, the emails at the centre of the story – those sent on 10 July 2023 – had no bearing on the decision not to require lobbyists to submit statutory declarations this year. That decision was made more than 10 days prior, on 29 June.
On 29 June 2023, a lobbying entity advised the Integrity Commission that statutory declarations had not previously been required to be submitted by owners of lobbying entities. This was the case over the past 10 years when the Register was administered by the Department of Premier and Cabinet, and last year by the Commission.
Beyond the contact from 2 lobbying entities pointing out these have not been required in the past there was no contact with any person outside of the Commission which informed or influenced that decision.”
