NEW AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT RELATIONS BODY

A number of longstanding consulting firms and senior practitioners in Australia have come together to establish a professional government relations industry association that will promote ethical standards, greater transparency and a binding code of conduct which will apply to all members.

The newly formed Australian Professional Government Relations Association (APGRA) came into effect on 1st July 2014 and aims to:

• Promote the highest standards of government relations practice in Australia through the establishment and maintenance of a robust industry code of conduct.
• Include an annual accreditation process for all members to ensure maintenance of professional standards.
• Complement existing regulation of government relations activity in Australia and provide a basis for regular dialogue between government relations and the profession.
• Contribute to greater understanding of professional government relations in Australia and the legitimate and important role the sector plays.

Membership of the Association is open to all practitioners across all categories, including in-house practitioners.

Founding members include Government Relations Australia, Kreab Gavin Anderson, Newgate Communications, Res Public and Statecraft.

APGRA Code of Conduct

Definitions

Consulting Practitioner means a Government Relations Practitioner who is engaged as a third party to make representations on behalf of an individual, a company or an organisation.

Client means an individual, association, organisation or business who a) has engaged the Practitioner, or the organisation for whom the Practitioner works, on a professional basis to make representations to a Government Representative; or b) in relation to an ‘in-house’ Practitioner, means the Practitioner’s employer.

Executive Role is any leadership, office-bearer, fundraising or decision making role in a registered political party or associated entity but does not include ordinary membership of a political party.

Government Institutions  includes Parliament, local government, the ministry, the bureaucracy, and government owned trading organisations

Government Relations Practitioner or Practitioner is an individual who may be a person, body corporate, unincorporated association, or partnership who makes representations.

Government Representative means a Government Institution or a person elected to be a member of a Government Institution, such as a Member of Parliament or local councillor as well as their staff, such as Ministerial staff, staff employed by a Member of Parliament, staff employed by a local or shire council, or staff employed in the public sector.

Lobbying Rules means rules established by legislation or a Government Institution to regulate lobbying or government relations practitioners or their activities.

Making Representations includes substantive contact with a Government Representative for the purpose of influencing government decision-making including making or changing legislation, developing or amending policy or programs, the awarding of a tender, a grant or allocation of funding, and meeting or other requests, but does not include non-substantive matters such as requests for publicly available information or modifying logistical arrangements for a meeting.

Management Committee means the Management Committee of the Association or their designate.

Operation of the Code

1. This Code applies in respect of all circumstances in which a Government Relations Practitioner is making representations on a behalf of a client.
2. Any breach of this Code will be dealt with in accordance with the Membership Rules and it is an obligation of membership that each member (and their relevant staff) is bound by those rules.
3. This Code commences on 1. July 2014

Professionalism

1. Practitioners will act with honesty and decency at all times towards Government Representatives.
2. Practitioners will not act in a manner detrimental to the reputation of the Association or the professional practice of government relations in general.
3. Practitioners will not engage in any conduct that is corrupt, dishonest or illegal.
4. Practitioners will use reasonable endeavours to satisfy themselves of the truth or accuracy of all statements made or information provided to Government Representatives and will exercise proper care to avoid giving false or misleading information.
5. Practitioners will diligently advance and advocate their Client’s interest.
6. Practitioners will devote time, attention, and resources to the Client’s interests that are commensurate with Client expectations, agreements, and compensation

Interactions with Government

1. When interacting with Government Representatives, Practitioners will disclose on whose behalf they are acting, and will not misrepresent their interests.
2. Where the proposed or actual activities of a Client may be illegal, unethical or otherwise contrary to a Lobbying Rule or this Code, Practitioners will advise the Client accordingly and refuse to act in relation to the relevant activity.
3. Practitioners will not make misleading, exaggerated or extravagant claims regarding, or misrepresent, the nature or extent of their access to, or relationship with, Government Representatives, political parties, or members of political parties. This clause extends to claims of ‘guaranteed’ access to, or outcomes from, particular Government Representatives.
4. Practitioners will not offer or give, or cause a Client to offer or give, any financial or other incentive to any Government Representatives that could be construed as a bribe or inducement.

Personal Political Activity

1. Practitioners will keep strictly separate their professional activities and any personal activity or involvement on behalf, or as a member, of a political party.
2. Practitioners will not serve in an Executive Role with a political party.
3. Practitioners will not play a senior management role in the conduct of an election campaign.

Employment of Government Representatives

1. Practitioners will not employ, or otherwise commercially engage, any current Government Representative.
2. Practitioners who were formerly elected Government Representatives will not, for a period of 18 months after they ceased to hold office, make representations on behalf of a client, with respect to any matter on which they had official dealings in the 18 months prior to leaving that role.
3. Practitioners, who were formerly non-elected Government Representatives will not, for a period of 12 months after they ceased their former role. Make representations on behalf of a Client, with respect to any matter on which they had official dealings in the 12 months prior to leaving that role.

Compliance with Laws, Regulations and Rules

1. Practitioners will comply with any relevant Lobbying Rules and with this Code. Where any conflict exists between this Code and a Lobbying Rule, Practitioners must abide by the Lobbying Rule.
2. Practitioners will comply with any legislation, government resolution or rule relating to donations to political parties and any other matter.
3. Practitioners will conduct themselves in accordance with the rules of parliament or any other Institutions of Government while within their precincts (including rules relating to any access pass that might have been issued to them)
4. Practitioners will abide by the rules for obtaining, distribution and release of parliamentary and government documents.
5. Practitioners will not obtain information from Government Representatives by improper or unlawful means.
6. Practitioners will not cause a Government Representative to breach any law, regulation or rule applicable to them.

Obligations Only Applying to Consulting Practitioners

1. Consulting Practitioners will have a written agreement with their Client regarding the terms and conditions for their services, including the amount of and basis for compensation.
2. The fees charged by a Consulting Practitioner will be reasonable, taking into account the facts and circumstances of the engagement.
3. Upon termination of their relationship, Consulting Practitioners will take steps to the extent reasonably practical to protect a Client’s interests, such as giving reasonable notice to the Client, allowing time for employment of another Practitioner, and surrendering papers and property to which the Client is entitled.
4. Consulting Practitioners will indicate to their Clients their membership of the Association, and the existence of obligations under this Code and the Lobbying Rules.
5. Consulting Practitioners will avoid conflicts of interest in making representations on behalf of a Client to a Government Representative.
6. Consulting Practitioners will disclose any known conflict of interest to their relevant Clients and resolve the conflict issue promptly.