The defence minister’s chief of staff has disclosed and managed a long-term de facto relationship with a lobbyist who works for a small firm representing several defence clients, including a subsidiary of an Israeli government-owned weapons manufacturer.
Confirmation of the relationship comes as the Centre for Public Integrity calls on the federal government to publish monthly disclosures of all interactions between lobbyists and senior staff advising ministers, to improve trust in democracy and increase transparency.
The relationship is the latest example of how ministers and senior staff manage probity when dealing with the politically well-connected lobbying industry, which is based on building influence with decision-makers.
