Not all forms of lobbying are illegal or inevitably lead to corruption. Transparency International, the respected watchdog that aims to clean politics from corruption, has a very incisive definition of lobbying.
Lobbying is any activity carried out to influence a government or institution’s policies and decisions in favour of a specific cause or outcome. Even when allowed by law, these acts can become distortive if disproportionate levels of influence exist – by companies, associations, organisations and individuals.
The least that any watchdog entrusted to ensure that public officials and politicians adhere to a high standard of ethical behaviour in public life is to regulate the practice of lobbying. This regulation is what the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life George Hyzler is planning to do by the publication of a consultation paper that should eventually lead to an act of parliament to regulate lobbying.
Large, as well as small businesses, have sufficient funds to back their lobbying activities and close relationships with lawmakers to gain disproportionate access to the policy-making process. This access can easily undermine the principles of transparency and fairness that underpins the trust that ordinary citizens should have in public administrators. Alleged back-corridor negotiations that were revealed in a French TV programme some months ago have shown how the relationship between individual businesses and politicians can at best be unethical and at worst illegal.
The problem of unethical lobbying can take many forms. It is worrying, for instance, to read that Joseph Muscat may be contacting people he knew officially when he was still prime minister with the possible veiled intention of acting as their consultant. It is equally astonishing that a government entity should be asking for Muscat’s assistance to promote a particular Freeport project. This development sounds very much like the unethical revolving-door practice whereby politicians get a job as consultants soon after leaving office with private enterprises they had contact with in their official public capacity.
When safeguards for transparency and accountability are limited and blurred, this can lead to illegal, undue and unfair influence in the country’s policies and politics.
Malta already has a massive task of cleaning up its reputation for political involvement in severe cases of corruption and disregard to the rule of law.
The present prime minister needs to read the riot act to all present and past politicians who have been economical in their observance of best international practice in ethical behaviour in public life.
The Commissioner for Standards in Public Life should be complimented for taking the initiative to propose regulations for lobbying. However, it takes more than proper regulation to ensure that the relationship between business, politicians and public officials are not conducted in the shadows deliberately to contaminate the common good of a democratic society.
Like every organisation, if the effort of George Hyzler is to bear fruit, the tone from the top of the government should be one that promotes integrity as an indispensable value for all those in public office. Integrity is not just about not breaking the law but about doing what is right always and in all circumstances.
The judicious use of taxpayers’ money is an onerous obligation of all public officials. Politicians should never forget that they are just temporary stewards of the public purse.