A major expansion of the lobbyist register governing contact between Canberra's local politicians and lobbyists seeking their ear could be shelved until after the 2020 election, despite being part of the Labor-Green deal to form government.
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A committee inquiry investigating the proposed expansion on Thursday tabled its report in the Legislative Assembly, essentially ruling out any expansion until the next Assembly begins after the October 2020 election.
It comes despite expanding the lobbyist register beyond only third party lobbyists being a key item in the Labor-Greens parliamentary agreement reached after the 2016 election, and Chief Minister Andrew Barr committing to expanding it.
In a recent half-term progress report on the Labor-Greens parliamentary agreement, the expansion of the lobbyists was categorised as "on track", but the committee's recommendation could derail the proposal altogether.
The committee also recommended decreasing reporting requirements for lobbyists about the clients they are acting for, but has taken up the proposal to ban politicians' contact with unregistered lobbyists.
Despite the Assembly's ethics and integrity advisor Stephen Skehill telling the committee a major expansion of the register was not needed, the committee has taken up Mr Skehill and Clerk Tom Duncan's urging a ban on contact with unregistered lobbyists.
The issue has been a sore point for the Labor government for several years, after former government officials turned lobbyists for property developers refused to register, claiming they were not required to.
The committee has recommended ACT politicians refuse to entertain any contact with registered lobbyists, their employees or contractors and any such person who fails to comply with the Lobbyist Code of Conduct - largely those engaged in such activities that have not registered.
But it has also recommended the current requirement for lobbyists to report every quarter on who they are acting for be lessened to only six monthly reporting.
It also recommended any expansion of the register only be reconsidered by the Assembly at least a year after the new ACT Integrity Commission starts operating in July this year, and "not before the beginning of the 10th Assembly"; or after the next election.
