This report investigates how major public companies in Australia disclose and govern their political expenditures and climate lobbying.

This article critically analyses the legal accountability mechanisms for grants funding through public finance legislation, ‘soft law’ such as grants, guidelines and ministerial standards, and the availability of legal redress. It also examines political accountability mechanisms, including the operation of parliamentary committees, the Auditor-General and the Ombudsman.

Integrity in government has been a key issue in New South Wales for decades. This paper examines a range of topical issues including the funding model for integrity agencies, the regulation of political donations and lobbying and pork barrelling.

Operation Clara was an investigation by the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC). This report highlights the need for reforms to the regulation of lobbying in Victoria and makes recommendations to ensure those regulations are in step with other states and territories.

Restoring integrity to Australian governance requires more than just substantive law reform, such as tightening laws that regulate lobbying and campaign finance and increasing the powers of specialised integrity institutions. It also requires the powers of the cornerstone institution of Australia’s integrity system – Parliament – to be restored.