Rod Glover, husband of late Labor MP Peta Murphy, stated the government's new gambling reforms fall well short of her 2023 recommendations due to industry lobbying, despite praising the legislation for reducing some harms.
Catholic Schools NSW CEO Dallas McInerney denied at an Icac inquiry that payments to lobbying firms were a sham to fund Liberal party factional work, as the Independent Education Union demanded closer scrutiny of public school funding.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg published a 6,500-word essay advocating a laissez-faire approach to AI development, while tech billionaires pour hundreds of millions into Super Pacs to elect pro-AI candidates and defeat regulators.
Victorian Premier Ben Carroll has delayed the state's promised work-from-home legislation to July next year following intensive lobbying by business groups, a move that contrasts with his predecessor Jacinta Allan's approach and draws criticism from the opposition.
A report based on a survey of 190 MPs and staff reveals Westminster's enduring "alcohol-soaked workplace" culture, driven by free drinks, loneliness, and career advancement. Incidents like drink spiking and excessive consumption highlight concerns, prompting calls for policy changes.
CT Group, a lobbying firm co-founded by Lynton Crosby, faces widespread condemnation and calls for transparency after a Guardian investigation revealed it secretly paid journalists for articles favorable to its clients. MPs and transparency campaigners denounce the practice as an "attack on democracy" and demand an overhaul of lobbying regulations.
A Guardian investigation reveals CT Group, a lobbying firm co-founded by Lynton Crosby, allegedly secretly pays journalists to publish stories favorable to its clients in British newspapers, raising concerns about influencing public opinion.
Kalshi, Polymarket, and the casino/gaming sectors are engaged in a lobbying arms race in Washington, spending millions to influence lawmakers amid increasing scrutiny of prediction markets from Congress and regulators over their classification as financial products or sports betting.
OpenAI and Anthropic significantly increased their federal lobbying spending in the second quarter, reaching record levels. Together, they spent $3.17 million, with Anthropic spending $1.97 million and OpenAI $1.2 million, focusing on issues like cybersecurity and copyright. This surge narrows the gap with established tech and defense contractors.
Andy Burnham, the incoming Prime Minister, surprised many by appointing John Healey as Chancellor, despite intense lobbying for other candidates like Ed Miliband, Shabana Mahmood, and Rachel Reeves. Healey's selection signals a focus on borrowing rules, re-industrialisation, devolution, and increased defence spending, potentially through "defence bonds."
Uganda has begun lobbying countries to lift Ebola-related travel restrictions after discharging its last confirmed patient, a Congolese national, from a Kampala hospital. The move starts a 42-day countdown for WHO to declare Uganda Ebola-free, despite 15 countries maintaining restrictions impacting tourism and trade.
Belgium coach Rudi Garcia believes his team has gained millions of new supporters after Donald Trump's intervention to overturn Folarin Balogun's red card. Despite facing Spain in the quarter-finals, Garcia is confident, highlighting Romelu Lukaku as a key weapon.
A senior White House official compared Sir Keir Starmer's lobbying on World Cup kick-off times to Donald Trump's FIFA intervention, deeming Starmer's actions "far more egregious" due to safety concerns.
The UK's ethics watchdog has recommended a radical overhaul of transparency laws, proposing a new register to publicly declare all government lobbying, including informal communications like WhatsApp chats and party conference meetings. The review, led by Doug Chalmers, aims to restore public trust by highlighting who is lobbying, what policies they seek to influence, and who they meet in government.
A major review prompted by the Peter Mandelson scandal has called for sweeping redesigns of UK lobbying rules. The Ethics and Integrity Commission (EIC) recommends new laws to fix inadequacies in Westminster's transparency systems, with potential implementation before the next general election.
Andrew Giuliani defended Donald Trump's lobbying of FIFA to overturn Folarin Balogun's red card, citing referee irregularities and VAR misapplication. The referee, Raphael Claus, had been investigated in Brazil for match-fixing.
The FCA is seeking to dismiss Consumer Voice's legal challenges over motor finance payouts, alleging the group and its solicitors, Courmacs Legal, have not been transparent about their funding and potential conflicts of interest.
Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey stated he resisted Nigel Farage's lobbying to drop a crypto policy potentially costly to Reform UK's backer, Christopher Harborne. This comes as Farage faces a parliamentary probe over undeclared payments and support, triggering a political crisis.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India's networking guidelines, which imposed compliance and penalties on local audit firms, have been put on hold. Influential Big 4 firms lobbied the government against these rules, and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs also raised concerns, leading to the deferral or withdrawal of the guidelines.
Investigators questioned Kim Pyung-hwa, a close aide to Shincheonji Church founder Lee Man-hee, over allegations of political lobbying and embezzlement of church funds. Lee is already under arrest for allegedly pressuring members to join a political party.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India's networking guidelines, which imposed strict compliance and penalties on local audit firms, have been put on hold. Influential Big 4 firms successfully lobbied the government against these rules, which also raised concerns with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
Belgian fans celebrated a World Cup win over the USA with jubilation, despite a 2 am kick-off. The victory was overshadowed by controversy over Donald Trump's alleged lobbying to overturn a striker's suspension. Celebrations included mocking Trump's dancing.
Donald Trump admitted lobbying FIFA over a red card ban, Australia faces extreme heatwave risks for young people's mental health, and scientists captured bee facial expressions. Meanwhile, wildfires rage in Europe, and a footballer died after a clash in Melbourne.
A California judge has temporarily blocked the Department of Defense from enforcing a lobbying ban on Alibaba, allowing the company to communicate with the Pentagon while its constitutional challenge to the restriction is considered.
