Lobby Groups Subvert Democracy ‘We the People’

In the public interest.

I just found this article. This is the core problem of why we are losing our democracy. Some get more democracy then others, and those who do are strategic, professional and well funded.

In the list below I don’t see public groups, no lobbying for the homeless or other special needs. What we see is professional business and religious lobbyists. Perhaps that explains why we have religion creeping into our secular parliament. I am very concerned at the bias, the discrimination and the

Lobbying should be banned. I have no issue with constituents visiting politicians but organised groups can communicate through Royal Commissions or Senate hearings by topic or perhaps conferences. Personal relationships must not happen as it compromises the politicians position. They too have to be selected carefully so that they truly represent the public. There should courses that they take on democracy, the role of representation and let’s drop the word ‘politician’ and replace it with ‘public servant’. That is what they are paid to be.

Do I have a right to say what I think? Of course they work for me as a citizen. It matters not rich or poor, educated or uneducated every citizen in Australia is who the government work for under the Constitution. They are not to remove the Australian Constitution and it must be endorsed by the Australian people ‘We the People’. That hasn’t happened at Federation. That is a problem for us.

So to the Lobbyist. I note a few are in Parliament today doing their industry’s bidding. Another subversion of democracy.

This is why there is a drive to remove democracy, so it is rule by corporatocracy in a specialised technocracy. Incredible!

Do note the corporatocracy is mostly foreign influence as much has been sold off…. I should lobby for Australian Public Democracy on behalf of the Australian people, I wonder how that would go down? Would they let me in…? Probably not as I would have to probably buy them. I wonder if I can get a discount, I have a concession now? I only have $20 but I am honest! Perhaps we can flip for influence… getting desperate … heads I can have a meeting, tails I buy you a coffee win/win?? (having a laugh here ha ha)

https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Lobby_groups/Australia

Lobby groups/Australia

The lobbying industry is a significant force in Australian politics.

In 2006 according to Julian Fitzgerald Lobbying in Australia the 150 national lobby groups analysed had a total budget of $713,793,364, an average of $6.26 million for the 114 that made the figures available to the public. The statistics reveal that in Australia, lobbying is an industry that is growing at three times the rate of inflation and is spending well over $1 billion per year, the 150 lobby groups employ more than 260 public relations officers, and have a staff of 2,431.Lobbying in Australia: You Can’t Expect Anything to Change if You Don’t Speak Up! Rosenberg Publishing 2006

Most of the principle staff in Australia’s professional lobby firms have previously worked for federal or state politicians. Some are former politicians themselves. And, as the case of one Hawker Britton consultant who has just been appointed to Hurstville council demonstrates, some may still be at it.

The fact that a consultant has just walked out of a politician’s revolving door is often used by lobby firms as a selling point to their clients, as it is seen as a good way of ensuring access to and ‘relationships’ with the decision-makers they are paid to influence.

If that doesn’t work there are other ways of making friends – advocacy and lobby groups made a total of $412,730 in donations to federal political parties in the 2003/4 financial year, and donated another $477,898 in NSW. [1]

The line between an industry peak body and an industry lobby group can be hard to distinguish, and it’s also hard to tell the difference between a Public relations firm and a lobby group. Many of the PR firms listed on Public relations firms/Australia practice ‘government relations’, ‘issues management’, and various other euphemisms for the business of influence-peddling.

This page lists a few of the Australian groups that focus more on lobbying than PR.

Contents

Professional lobbyists

Industry lobby groups

Other lobby groups

Front groups

Others

Other Sourcewatch Resources

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