3 ms·

We really don't have the same overt paid lobbying here (aka bribery) that you have in the US. Don't get me wrong our politicians are just as morally bankrupt a

We really don't have the same overt paid lobbying here (aka bribery) that you have in the US. Don't get me wrong our politicians are just as morally bankrupt and self-serving, but it doesn't happen at the same coordinated scale.

some_random 3y ago
It's so funny to me how many non-americans just assume their country is perfect because they apparently don't pay attention to their local news. Or maybe it's just nationalism, hard to say.
PickledHotdog 3y ago
There's a substantial amount of lobbying, but the reporting requirements on it are laughably low. Agree it's not at the level of the US, though. The member for Kooyong was working to establish a bill about it. At the moment lobbyists have unfettered access to parliament house.
kortilla 3y ago
Lobbying and bribery are not the same at all. Equivocating them severely downplays the seriousness of bribery. Lobbying means someone is trying to influence the government through things as simple as advertising campaigns. Those exist in AU.
- shkkmo 3y ago
  Advertising is PR, not lobbying. Lobbying often involves implicit or explicit offers of campaign funding, PAC support/opposition, and gifts that skirt the edge of what is legally bribery.
  - ghiculescu 3y ago
    lol we certainly have lobbying in Australia, they just apparently keep a lower profile than American lobbyists do.
  - kortilla 3y ago
    No, lobbying is “attempting to influence the government”. Advertising about proposed bills is 100% lobbying. Without any funding to the politician involved, a lobbyist’s job is to convince the politician of voting a particular way. A sleazy lobbyist may try money in indirect ways for/against the politician, but a regular one will try to raise awareness through advertising and public pressure. It’s all lobbying.
    - shkkmo 3y ago
      Lobbyists may engage in PR activity, but that does not make PR activity lobbying. Lobbying has a pretty clear definition which you are trying to stretch here. Let me put it this way: Airing an ad about a government rep or piece of legislation is PR or advertising. Using the threat or promise of airing that ad to try to talk a politician into doing something is lobbying.
betaby 3y ago
World-know news payment extortion from Meta?

some_random 3y ago

It's so funny to me how many non-americans just assume their country is perfect because they apparently don't pay attention to their local news. Or maybe it's just nationalism, hard to say.

PickledHotdog 3y ago

There's a substantial amount of lobbying, but the reporting requirements on it are laughably low. Agree it's not at the level of the US, though. The member for Kooyong was working to establish a bill about it. At the moment lobbyists have unfettered access to parliament house.

kortilla 3y ago

Lobbying and bribery are not the same at all. Equivocating them severely downplays the seriousness of bribery. Lobbying means someone is trying to influence the government through things as simple as advertising campaigns. Those exist in AU.

shkkmo 3y ago
Advertising is PR, not lobbying. Lobbying often involves implicit or explicit offers of campaign funding, PAC support/opposition, and gifts that skirt the edge of what is legally bribery.
- ghiculescu 3y ago
  lol we certainly have lobbying in Australia, they just apparently keep a lower profile than American lobbyists do.
- kortilla 3y ago
  No, lobbying is “attempting to influence the government”. Advertising about proposed bills is 100% lobbying. Without any funding to the politician involved, a lobbyist’s job is to convince the politician of voting a particular way. A sleazy lobbyist may try money in indirect ways for/against the politician, but a regular one will try to raise awareness through advertising and public pressure. It’s all lobbying.
  - shkkmo 3y ago
    Lobbyists may engage in PR activity, but that does not make PR activity lobbying. Lobbying has a pretty clear definition which you are trying to stretch here. Let me put it this way: Airing an ad about a government rep or piece of legislation is PR or advertising. Using the threat or promise of airing that ad to try to talk a politician into doing something is lobbying.

betaby 3y ago

World-know news payment extortion from Meta?