The revolving door
How many registered lobbyists previously worked inside government, and what the federal register does and does not cover.
Across 384 registered lobbying firms acting for 2,410 clients. Each of these people declared a previous role as a minister, MP, ministerial staffer or public servant when they joined the register.
What this register does not show you
Only third-party lobbyists — firms hired to lobby on behalf of paying clients — are required to register. Someone employed directly by a company, union or industry body to lobby for their own employer does not have to appear here at all, and in-house lobbying is widely believed to be the larger share of the industry.
The register also records no meetings. There is no federal requirement for ministers to publish their diaries — unlike New South Wales and Queensland — so who was lobbied, by whom, and about what is not public.
Every number on this page is therefore a floor, not a total. The real figures are larger by an unknown amount.
What they did before
Self-declared previous government roles, grouped from the free text in the register.
- Ministerial or MP staffer152
- Public servant60
- Other government role35
- Minister or Parliamentary Secretary35
- Senior public servant12
- Defence8
- Member of Parliament3
A registration records that a firm may lobby on a client’s behalf.
Firms with the most former government staff
| Firm | Ex-government | Lobbyists | Clients |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEC Newgate Pty Limited | 12 | 26 | 75 |
| TG Public Affairs Pty Ltd | 8 | 15 | 104 |
| PYNE AND PARTNERS PTY LTD | 8 | 12 | 62 |
| CMAX Advisory PTY LTD as a Trustee for CMAX Trading Trust | 8 | 15 | 36 |
| GRACosway Pty Ltd | 7 | 20 | 59 |
| Hawker Britton Group Pty Ltd | 5 | 11 | 91 |
| Crestview Strategy Pty Ltd | 5 | 7 | 30 |
| Bondi Partners Advocacy Pty Ltd | 5 | 6 | 15 |
| The Civic Partnership Pty Ltd | 5 | 8 | 9 |
| Principle Advisory Pty Ltd | 4 | 4 | 26 |
| SAS Consulting Group Pty Ltd | 4 | 7 | 25 |
| Primary Communication Partners Pty Limited | 4 | 4 | 20 |
Clients retaining the most firms
Organisations on the books of three or more lobbying firms at the same time. Many more retain two; the cut-off here is arbitrary and only exists to keep the list meaningful.
| Client | Firms | Retained |
|---|---|---|
| Minderoo Foundation | 4 | Anacta Strategies Pty Ltd, Executive Counsel Australia Pty Ltd, SEC Newgate Pty Limited, Sarah Rheinberger Consulting |
| Rio Tinto | 4 | Anacta Strategies Pty Ltd, DPG Advisory Solutions, Govstrat Pty Ltd, Scott Mitchell and Partners Pty Ltd |
| HYDROSTOR AUSTRALIA HOLDING PTY LTD | 3 | Barton Deakin Pty Ltd, CMX Energy Consulting Pty Ltd, Hawker Britton Group Pty Ltd |
| ResourceCo | 3 | LK Creative as trustee for LK Trust, PRX Unit Trust, Premier Strategy Pty Ltd |
| Service Stream Limited | 3 | Arican Pty Limited, PYNE AND PARTNERS PTY LTD, SEC Newgate Pty Limited |
| TPG Telecom Limited | 3 | Barton Deakin Pty Ltd, Hanbury Strategy and Communications (ANZ) Pty Ltd, Hawker Britton Group Pty Ltd |
| Twinza Oil Limited | 3 | Brad Williams, Isdell Pty Ltd, Scott Mitchell and Partners Pty Ltd |
How to read these numbers
- Only third-party lobbyists — firms that lobby on behalf of paying clients — are required to register. People employed directly by a company, union or industry body to lobby for their own employer are not required to appear here at all, and are widely believed to do the majority of lobbying. Every figure on this page is a floor, not a total.
- The register records no meetings. There is no federal requirement for ministers to publish their diaries, unlike in New South Wales and Queensland, so who was lobbied, by whom and about what is not public information.
- A registration means a firm may lobby on a client's behalf. It is not evidence that any lobbying occurred, nor that it was improper.
- Prior government roles are self-declared by the lobbyist. Categories here are grouped from free text and may not match a person's full history.
Source: Australian Government Register of Lobbyists, Attorney-General's Department. Retrieved 2026-07-22.