Twenty powerful people in lobbying

Who are the people most effective at lobbying politcians to get their way? We're counting down the Top 10 Most Powerful Lobbyists. Here, Matthew Knott presents the shortlist.

Anthony Ball (CEO, Clubs NSW)

Ball is the driving force behind the clubs' ferocious campaign to scupper Andrew Wilkie's proposed pokies reforms. Labor MPs in key marginal seats are nervous, the independents are still making up their minds and Tony Abbott has predicted that he will rescind mandatory commitment if elected at the next election.

Colin Rubenstein (executive director, Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council)

The former Middle East politics lecturer is a polished media performer and energetic advocate of the Israeli cause. The AIJAC is active in combating alleged instances of anti-Israel bias in the media and funds overseas study trips for politicians and journalists.

Gabriel McDowell (managing director, ResPublica)

The Irish PR operative has been behind some of the biggest lobbying coups in recent Australian history. He led the campaign against Peter Costello's plans to increase the excise on beer when the GST was introduced and successfully lobbied for the legalisation of therapeutic cloning in 2006.

Heather Ridout (CEO, Australian Industry Group)

"Heather Everywhere" has become the voice of business in Australia. She's a skilled networker, savvy media performer and sits on a slew of government boards. Initially seen as close to Labor – some in business thought she was too close – Ridout has recently become a vocal critic of the Gillard government's industrial relations and climate change policies.

Ian Smith (partner, Bespoke Approach)

The former Liberal Party media adviser and corporate spinner is now at Bespoke Approach, a boutique lobbying firm he runs with Alexander Downer and Nick Bolkus. The talented trio are working behind the scenes to help some of the world's biggest companies get a foothold in the Australian market.

Jim Wallace (managing director, Australian Christian Lobby)

The ex-army brigadier has made it his life's mission to bring Christ's influence into Canberra. Wallace's cashed-up lobby group is fighting against moves to legalise voluntary euthanasia, gay marriage and R-rated video games. But the ACL doesn't speak for all Christians and there's little evidence their marginal seat campaigning shifts votes.

Karl Bitar (head of government affairs, Crown Casino)

Bitar, a former ALP national secretary, was hired by James Packer to encourage the government to abandon or water down its mandatory pre-commitment pokie reforms. Clubs Australia may have taken the limelight but don't be fooled: Bitar has been arguing Crown's case vigorously behind the scenes.

Kate Carnell (CEO, Australian Food and Grocery Council)

The former ACT Chief Minister doesn't like to be called a lobbyist: "I'm not a lobbyist," she tells us. "Not even slightly." Nevertheless, Carnell has exerted considerable influence during her stints as head of the National Association of Forest Industries, Australian General Practice Network and now the Australian Food and Grocery Council. Public health advocates accuse her of stymieing reforms to limit junk food advertising and tougher food labelling laws.

Kos Sclavos (president, Pharmacy Guild of Australia)

A powerful chemist...really? You'd better believe it. The Pharmacy Guild is one of the most feared (and respected) lobbying outfits in town – it's largely because of their lobbying that community pharmacy is one of the Australia's most protected industries. Long-time president Kos Sclavos is a tough operator who nearly always gets his way.

Les Timar (managing director, Government Relations Australia)

The former Liberal staffer has been running the well-regarded bipartisan firm for the past 15 years. The GRA stable also includes former Labor treasurer John Dawkins and NSW Liberal MP Michael Yabsley.

Jock Laurie (president, Australian Farmers Federation)

The Farmers Federation is no longer the fearsome force it once was. "Five to 10 years ago the most powerful lobby in Canberra was the NFF," says a senior Canberra lobbyist. "They can barely scratch themselves now...there's a real hole in agri-policy and influence peddling."

Mitch Hooke (CEO, Minerals Council of Australia)

Hooke likes to call himself just a "busted-arse country kid" but no-one's fooled: he led the mining industry's stunningly successful campaign against Kevin Rudd's proposed Resources Super Profits tax last year. But his combative approach has come at a cost: relations with government are now frosty and he wasn't invited to Treasurer Wayne Swan's recent tax forum.

Peter Anderson (CEO, Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry)

Anderson is the head of Australia's largest, and most representative, employer organisation. But it's not the most influential. "ACCI unfortunately is seen very much as a branch office of the Liberal Party," a top lobbyist tells us. "It doesn't have anywhere near the influence and standing that Heather's group [the Australian Industry Group] has."

Peter Collins (managing director, Barton Deakin)

The former NSW opposition leader is the rising star on the lobbying scene thanks to the conservative tide sweeping across Australia. His Liberal-aligned firm, Barton Deakin, is doing a roaring trade in NSW.

Scott Leach (president, Australian Hotels Association NSW)

The hotels lobby has little influence at a federal level but has had enormous sway with state governments – particularly in NSW – through generous donations to the top parties. The AHA, which employees NSW Liberal factional boss Michael Photios as a lobbyist, recently succeeded in watering down Barry O'Farrell's "three strikes" licensing laws.

Sandra Eccles (partner, Kreab Gavin Anderson)

The former bureaucrat and Labor adviser is a legend of the lobbying game. Eccles has been heavily involved in lobbying on Kevin Rudd's carbon pollution reduction scheme and Julia Gillard's carbon tax package.

Simon Banks (Canberra office head, Hawker Britton)

Kevin Rudd's former chief of staff is the top lobbyist at the Labor-aligned firm Hawker Britton and possibly the only man in the ALP without enemies. With a whopping 147 clients on the federal lobbyist register, Hawker Britton is easily the biggest lobby firm in Canberra but this would change overnight were the ALP to get tipped out of office.

Simon Sheikh (national director, GetUp!)

Ask Canberra insiders about GetUp!'s influence in driving the political agenda and you'll hear one word repeated again and again: overstated. "GetUp's power is in setting issue agendas, not convincing governments to adopt specific policies," former Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner tells The Power Index. Nevertheless, GetUp!'s operatives are masters at grabbing headlines, forming alliances with other progressive groups and mobilising their supporters to take action.

Steve Hambleton (president, Australian Medical Association)

Five years ago the AMA was voted Australia's top lobby group by federal MPs from across the political spectrum. They'd be unlikely to match this success were the survey repeated today. The doctors lobby, led by Brisbane GP Steve Hambleton, has had several public spats with Health Minister Nicola Roxon, who recently sledged them as an "ineffective chorus muttering on the edge of the stage".

Tony Shephard (president, Business Council of Australia)

The Transfield Services chairman, who took over earlier this month from Graham Bradley, will have to work hard to restore the CEO club to its former glory. Liberal Party president Alan Stockdale slammed the BCA as "pathetic" and "lamentable" earlier this year.