{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/6244d1918dd186001211b37a/68f0d9be8548da7452795f23?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Australian Parliament Sports Club saga: what counts as lobbying? ","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/6244d1918dd186001211b37a/1760614788690-1f0125ee-a62c-406c-b6ce-a781b90350e7.jpeg?height=200","description":"<p>What counts as ‘lobbying’? That’s the central question at the core of the Australian Parliament Sports Club saga, the company organising social sport at Parliament House — paid for by sponsors, who in turn get to play alongside politicians and political staffers, building vital relationships during sitting weeks.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>According to the government’s definition, the Club is not a lobbying organisation and has been removed from the lobbyists register. CEO of the Club Andy Turnbull provided <em>Crikey</em> with a lengthy statement defending his operation… after kicking out former Wallabies captain and Senator David Pocock for questioning the legitimacy of the Club at senate estimates.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>So does it pass the pub test? Crikey’s media reporter Daanyal Saeed joins the podcast to unpack the Parliament Sports Club lobbying saga, from beginning to end.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Read more:</strong></p><ul><li><a href=\"https://www.crikey.com.au/2025/10/13/australian-parliament-sports-club-de-registered-lobby-group-david-pocock/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Australian Parliament Sports Club de-registered as lobby group amid MP outrage </a>(including Andy Turnbull’s full statement to Crikey)</li><li><a href=\"https://www.crikey.com.au/2025/09/30/parliament-sports-club-gambling-lobby/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">The gambling lobby has infiltrated social sports at Parliament House</a></li><li><a href=\"https://www.crikey.com.au/2025/03/11/gambling-addiction-cigarettes-prime-ministers-adviser/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Gambling not as serious as cigarettes, PM’s adviser tells reform advocates</a></li><li><a href=\"https://www.crikey.com.au/2025/10/16/gambling-harms-reform-albanese-government-sports-betting/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">On gambling, Australia is a collection of banana republics — while our cowering government watches on</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p><br></p>","author_name":"Crikey"}