Canberra lobbying reality check: Has industry mistaken access for influence?

For years, the pharma and medtech sectors has invested time, money and resources into navigating the corridors of power in Canberra. Meetings are secured, relationships are built, and policymakers are approached. But is access actually influence?

In this Health Industry Hub podcast, Jody Fassina, Managing Director of Insight Strategy and former senior adviser within the Labor Party, examines the changing dynamics between industry and government, and challenges the assumptions that have shaped political engagement for decades.

Fassina reflects on the direct feedback he sought from federal MPs about how industry lobbying is perceived within political circles, and whether companies genuinely understand the gap between industry priorities and political realities.

The conversation asks a confronting question: what evidence shows that industry lobbying is actually changing behaviour? After persistent engagement, countless discussions with policymakers, and significant investment in government relations, what outcomes can industry point to?

As the political landscape becomes more fragmented, the podcast also explores why the industry may need to look beyond traditional political discussions and understand emerging political forces ahead of the next federal election. The old rules of engagement are changing, and influence may no longer come from the same places.

With MPs facing increasing demands and shorter windows for engagement, the traditional approach to lobbying may be losing its value. The question for industry how it can adapt, shifting from being heard to becoming more influential in order to deliver better for patients, taxpayers and ultimately voters.

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