A new report has revealed major flaws in South Australia's lobbying regulations.

An SA ICAC report says that significant gaps in South Australia's lobbying regulations create the potential for corruption within government decision-making processes. 

The report - The Room Where it Happens: Lobbying and Influence in South Australia - was tabled in Parliament by the state’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). 

It calls for extensive reform of the current regulatory framework, highlighting vulnerabilities in the way lobbying activities are monitored and controlled.

The ICAC says that lobbying, when conducted transparently, plays a vital role in democracy by allowing citizens, businesses, and interest groups to express their views to government officials. 

However, the watchdog has found that lobbying in South Australia, as it currently stands, is at risk of being manipulated through improper means such as leveraging personal connections or providing financial incentives to sway decisions in favour of private interests.

South Australia's current regulatory framework, established by the Lobbyists Act 2015 and Lobbyists Regulations 2016, was designed to prevent these issues. 

ICAC’s evaluation of the effectiveness of this framework involved a detailed review of the practices and policies of two key departments responsible for overseeing lobbying activities: the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, which administered the scheme until May 2024, and the Attorney-General’s Department, which has since taken over.

ICAC’s report outlines several key deficiencies, including the limited scope of the current regulations and their lack of coverage for local government activities. 

It also points out weaknesses in regulating the actions of those who have recently left public office and are engaged in lobbying, as well as flaws in the overall administration of the regulatory scheme. 

To address these issues, ICAC has made 31 recommendations aimed at tightening control and oversight of lobbying activities. 

The reforms are designed to better safeguard public integrity and ensure that government decisions are based on merit rather than external influence. 

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