Many jurisdictions are witnessing significant growth in regulations concerning the lobbying of politicians in government and parliament. While lobbying is central to democracy, it is available mainly to those with significant resources and is often the most effective means of influence. Unchecked, it corrodes trust in public institutions. This paper argues that transparency regimes are inadequate for dealing with the underlying concerns surrounding lobbying. An analysis of those regulations reveals three problems. First, the laws often lead to little meaningful transparency. Second, there is little political will for supporting lobbying regulators. Third, the current regulations ignore other approaches that might be more effective in restoring public trust. Thus, ideas are mooted for a new approach to regulation which accounts for the nuances inherent in insidious forms of corruption common to lobbying practices.
We look forward to welcoming you on July 3-5, 2023 for our Annual Conference entitled "Islands and Ocean: Public Law in a Plural World." The conference will take place at the Victoria University of Wellington, in New Zealand. We will be announcing more details about the conference soon, including financial support to early career and global south scholars!