The Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme and Lobbying Code of Conduct provide timely and accurate information to decision-makers and the public.

This performance measure was achieved.

4.6.1 In response to questions related to this target in the department’s stakeholder survey, 100% of respondents rated our effectiveness and efficiency positively. A detailed explanation of the stakeholder survey methodology and results is at Appendix 2: Methodologies.

In administering the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme and the Lobbying Code of Conduct, we provide relevant and practical assistance to stakeholders and potential registrants. This includes providing tailored information about the operation of both schemes, identifying complexities that may warrant people seeking independent legal advice and assisting registrants during the preparation and lodgement of registrations. Respondent comments indicated high levels of satisfaction with our ability to provide credible, frank and proactive advice in short timeframes.

4.6.2 Prompt publication of registrations maximises the visibility of activities in Australia by foreign principals to influence government and political processes. Foreign principals can include foreign governments, foreign political organisations and foreign government-related entities and individuals. In 2020–21, 97% of registrations and updates under the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme Act 2018 were published within 3 weeks (compared to 87% in 2019–20) and 100% were published within 4 weeks (compared to 99% in in 2019–20). The 3% of registrations and updates that took longer than 3 weeks to publish were ones that required extended communication with registrants.

Our performance was assessed using data from the department’s internal Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme register database. We use this target as a proxy measure for efficiency. Measuring the currency of the information published to the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme public register is consistent with the scheme’s purpose of promoting transparency.

4.6.3 The early publication of registrations and updates on the Lobbyist Register provides timely information about lobbying activity under the Lobbying Code of Conduct. In 2020–21, 100% of new registrations on the Lobbyist Register were published within 3 weeks and 99% of updates were published within 5 working days. Eleven updates (representing 0.5% of all updates) were not published within 5 working days due to additional communication with the registrants, for example, to resolve issues with statutory declarations of lobbyists and to provide information on potential additional obligations of registrants under the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme.

Our performance against this target was assessed using data from the department’s internal Lobbyist Register database. We use this target as a proxy measure for efficiency. Measuring the currency of the information published to the Lobbyist Register is consistent with the Code’s intent of ensuring lobbying is conducted in accordance with public expectations of transparency, honesty and integrity.