Victorian unions are committed to supporting openness and transparency in government. Any reforms to lobbying rules in Victoria must protect the right of community groups, advocates and workers representatives to present their views to decision-makers and Members of Parliament.
Open government and democratic integrity is union business.
Throughout its existence, the Victorian union movement has fought to enhance the transparency of political institutions. In responding to the Department of Premier and Cabinet’s Inquiry into Supporting Transparency and Integrity in Lobbying, VTHC provided a number of broad recommendations aimed at improving the transparency of lobbying in Victoria. These included:
- Expanding the Lobbyist Code of Conduct to include the Shadow Ministry and the Opposition Leader. This will ensure that current as well as potential future state governments are staffed by individuals familiar with the Code and its expectations.
- Maintaining the participation of community leaders on public-entity boards, as their involvement often produces better outcomes for workers.
- Maintaining a strong distinction between community-driven advocacy and for-profit corporate lobbying.