Prime Minister Calls for Security Review of Orange Pass Access
Political lobbyists with unrestricted access to Canberra’s Parliament House may face increased scrutiny as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese advocates for enhanced “transparency and rigour” regarding sponsored passholders. The prime minister has formally addressed the house speaker, Milton Dick, and Senate president, Sue Lines, ahead of a scheduled review of policies governing access to Parliament House’s private areas.
Orange passes, which include those held by political lobbyists, grant unescorted access to non-public sections of Parliament House, enabling passholders to move freely within MPs’ office corridors. However, the identities of passholders and the MPs sponsoring their all-access privileges have long remained undisclosed, despite calls from crossbenchers and integrity advocates for greater openness.
Calls for Transparency from Crossbenchers
Some crossbenchers voluntarily disclose the passes they sponsor. Notably, ACT Senator David Pocock initiated a public register last year that pressured all MPs to reveal their sponsored passes.
“Australians deserve to know who can walk in here and lobby their elected representatives. A strong democracy depends on transparency and accountability,” Pocock said at the time.
“A pass sponsored by a parliamentarian provides privileged access. Access that potentially allows certain perspectives to reach decision-makers ahead of others. The public has the right to know who’s being given that privilege.”
As of mid-2024, there were more than 1,000 orange passholders, though the exact number held by paid lobbyists is unknown. Besides lobbyists, these passes are issued to a diverse group including representatives from non-government organisations, business leaders, and volunteers.
Albanese’s Letter Highlights Privilege and Need for Review
In his letter to the presiding officers on Monday, Albanese emphasized that unescorted access to Parliament’s private areas is a “privilege.”
“A growing number of individuals, particularly professional lobbyists, hold sponsored passes on the basis of business requirements, which provide unescorted access to the private areas of Parliament House,”
the letter, obtained by Australia, stated.
“It is my government’s view that the review provides an opportunity to consider increased transparency and rigour in relation to sponsored passes for Parliament House on the basis of business requirements, particularly in relation to professional lobbyists.
In that context, I also consider that the review provides an opportunity to examine the conditions and requirements for unescorted sponsored access to Parliament House, mindful as always of the importance of security.”
While the names and clients of registered lobbyists are publicly listed, the database does not specify which lobbyists have access to Parliament House. The speaker and the president hold responsibility for setting access policies, meaning any changes to sponsored passes would be decided independently of the government. Nevertheless, the prime minister’s involvement signals potential reforms to the current opaque system.
Opaque System Under Scrutiny Amid Promises of Reform
The Labor government’s handling of lobbyist access has faced repeated criticism during its four years in office, challenging one of Albanese’s key promises ahead of his 2022 election victory over Scott Morrison. The existing policy, approved in August 2023, requires re-examination every three years, prompting the upcoming review.
A spokesperson for the speaker told Australia:
“The review will consider all aspects of the policy to ensure it is relevant to the current environment and is fit-for-purpose.”
They added that the Department of Parliamentary Services will consult with the Australian Federal Police, key Australian Parliament House stakeholders including parliamentary departments, and other relevant Commonwealth entities as part of the review.
