Posted: April 24th, 2025

Does lobbying help or hinder the democratic process in Australia?

Grunig and Hunt argued that at its purest, lobbying means providing sufficient data to a legislature so that all the facts can be known before a vote is cast. But is it that simple? Some third-party political actors have shown a willingness to use their resources to win arguments against policymakers in the public sphere, thereby shaping public policy to suit private interests.Does lobbying help or hinder the democratic process in Australia?