Number One Priority for the Incoming Government : Shining the spotlight on Victoria’s chain of hidden influence
30 September 2026
The Accountability Round Table is calling on all political parties to prioritise the introduction of legislation that prevents the continuation of Victoria’s hidden web of influencers and to do so within the first six months of forming government after the November 2026 election.
In 2022, as IBAC warned:
“Donations and lobbying can be used to gain privileged access to decision-makers, which can pose a corruption risk…”
From Big Build tunnels to AI data centres, highly significant decisions are being locked in before voters get to have their say, and without parties having to disclose who sought influence. Every link in the chain is hidden:
- Paying for access. Donations can be split across companies. The Age 29/9/26 reports that 12 companies linked to three developers gave the Victorian Liberals $58,800 in five days without breaching the law. In 2022, IBAC warned that tickets to all political parties fundraising events escape the donation rules.
- Lobbying. Victoria’s lobbying register is a code, not a law, and it excludes in-house lobbyists.
- Meetings. Ministers’ diaries are published quarterly and do not include social events.
- Decisions. The Planning Minister’s fast-track decisions cannot be appealed to VCAT. Projects in growth areas that match an approved precinct plan are exempt from public notice and appeal.
- Locked in. New protections for communities living near data centres only apply to future projects not existing ones. The Auditor-General found East West Link was rushed to be signed before the 2014 election, and cancelling it cost more than $1.1 billion.
Quotes:
“Orderly, long-term planning is impossible when multi-billion-dollar projects become political pork-barrels from one election to the next. The loopholes used to buy influence must be closed. Otherwise, the community loses out, big time.” William McDougall, ART member and planning expert.
“The hidden links in the decision-making chain raise a simple question: why? Why did the people’s representatives, elected to put the public interest ahead of personal and party interests, deliberately allow this to happen? Any party seeking to form government on 28 November must answer that question, in a way that satisfies disenchanted voters.”. Professor Colleen Lewis, ART member and