Ministers in the New South Wales government have received a formal directive against holding solo meetings with one of the state's most well-connected lobbyists, following regulatory action against his firm.
Watchlist Triggers Strict Meeting Protocols
The NSW Electoral Commission placed EJF Advisory, the firm of lobbyist Eamonn Fitzpatrick, on a formal watchlist from 13 November 2025. This action was due to confirmed contraventions of the Lobbyists Code of Conduct and the Lobbying of Government Officials Act 2011.
In November, an email was sent to all NSW ministers and parliamentary secretaries advising them not to meet with Fitzpatrick or representatives from EJF Advisory unless a minimum of two government officials are present. These officials must not be staff from political offices. The directive further mandates that notes from any such meetings must be provided to the head of the relevant public service agency.
Self-Reported Errors and Political Ties
The commission's action stems from two specific breaches. The first involved EJF Advisory lobbying on behalf of two unregistered clients in 2023. The second was an alleged failure to confirm that its registration details were up to date by the required deadline of 31 May 2025.
Fitzpatrick, a former senior media adviser to Labor premiers Bob Carr and Morris Iemma, as well as former prime ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, stated he "self-reported two genuine errors" to the commission on 1 November 2023. He claims the firm rectified the lobbyist register immediately upon discovery. The clients in question were an industry association and a defence contractor.
"I will never play down any breach of the lobbyists code and I have taken full responsibility for our error and apologised to the commission," Fitzpatrick said.
Deep Connections to the Current Government
Fitzpatrick's connections to the current NSW Labor administration run deep. He has described his business as "a proud Labor firm" and worked as a campaign consultant to the party. In the lead-up to the last state election, his firm donated $7,000 to NSW Labor and a further $7,000 to individual Labor politicians, including $3,000 to Chris Minns before he became premier.
His social media profiles highlight this proximity to power, featuring photographs with high-profile figures. A March 2023 LinkedIn post showed Fitzpatrick with the newly elected Premier Chris Minns, whom he described as "my old friend and comrade." The two previously worked together in the office of former premier Morris Iemma. Another post from May 2025 showed him in the front row at Anthony Albanese's federal election victory speech.
Clients currently listed for EJF Advisory on the NSW register include major corporations such as Optus, Qatar Airways, Cimic (owner of Leighton construction), several property developers, and technology firms that seek government contracts.
Calls for Greater Transparency and Unheeded Reforms
The case has renewed focus on the regulation of lobbying in NSW. Geoffrey Watson, a board member of the Centre for Public Integrity, said he was "quite heartened" that the watchlist system appears to be working but argued for more transparency, including the public release of the clients' names involved in breaches.
This incident echoes concerns raised in a 2021 report by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), which made 29 recommendations to strengthen the Lobbying of Government Officials Act. The then ICAC chief commissioner, Peter Hall KC, warned that the existing regulation was "deficient" and that lobbying could lead to favouritism or corrupt conduct. To date, neither the current nor previous government has acted upon these recommendations.
A spokesperson for Premier Minns stated that the government takes integrity and transparency seriously, referring specific compliance questions to the independent Electoral Commission. Fitzpatrick confirmed that a related administrative error was also resolved with federal authorities without sanction.
