Information for university students and student associations
Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme
Factsheets in your language
- برنامج شفافية النفوذ الأجنبي
- Σύστημα Διαφάνειας για την Εξωτερική Επιρροή
- Skema Transparansi Pengaruh Asing
- Regime di Trasparenza dell’Influenza Estera
- 외국 영향력 투명성 제도
- Програма за транспарентност на странски влијанија
- Программа прозрачности иностранного влияния
- 外国影响力透明度计划
- Plan de transparencia de la influencia extranjera
- Yabancı Etkisi Şeffaflık Sistemi
- Chương Trình Minh Bạch Về Sự Ảnh Hưởng Của Nước Ngoài
The Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme: information for university students and student associations
The Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme (the Scheme) seeks to provide transparency of foreign influence in Australia's political and governmental processes at a federal level.
Do I need to register?
You might need to register on the public Transparency Register if you or your student association undertakes activities in Australia on behalf of, or in an arrangement with a foreign principal for the purpose of political or governmental influence at a federal level, unless exemptions apply.
Registering does not mean you have to stop or change what you are doing. These activities, when conducted in an open and transparent manner, are positive and welcomed in Australia.
What happens if I do not register?
Registration is a legal requirement and not registering is a criminal offence.
How to register
To get started, create an account for your association. This account will allow you to register each activity that is covered by the Scheme, along with any associated arrangements.
You are required to provide your name, contact details and occupation as well as details about:
- the foreign principal
- the arrangement that you have with them, and
- details of the activity that you are undertaking on their behalf.
Key concepts
What is foreign influence?
It is common for governments, organisations and individuals from around the world to seek to influence issues and policies in Australia to benefit their interests. When conducted in an open, lawful and transparent manner, this is a regular part of international relations and is welcome in Australia.
The purpose of the Scheme is to enable Government decision-makers and members of the public to understand whose interests an individual or organisation is representing, where they are undertaking foreign influence activities on behalf of a foreign principal. This is similar to the registration requirements under the Australian Government Lobbying Code of Conduct, for people lobbying on behalf of third-party clients.
What is a 'foreign principal'?
A foreign principal is:
- a foreign government
- a foreign political organisation
- a foreign government related entity, or
- a foreign government related individual.
A foreign principal can include, for example:
- a foreign embassy, consulate, ministry
- a foreign public university or foreign tertiary education institution
- an academic employed by a foreign public university
- a research institute that is affiliated with a foreign political party, or
- a company where a foreign government is a major shareholder.
What does 'on behalf of' a foreign principal mean?
An activity is considered to be 'on behalf of' a foreign principal if it meets these conditions:
- The activity is undertaken:
- under an arrangement with the foreign principal
- in the service of the foreign principal
- on the order or at the request of the foreign principal, or
- under the direction of the foreign principal.
What activities qualify as being undertaken to 'influence federal political or governmental processes'?
Registrable activities are political in nature or undertaken for political and government influence, including:
- parliamentary lobbying
- general political lobbying
- communications activity, and
- disbursement activity.
Examples of activities being undertaken to 'influence federal political or governmental processes' include:
- distributing pamphlets advocating for or against an Australian Government policy or decision
- organising a rally advocating for or against an Australian Government policy or decision
- meeting with a federal political party, representative or candidate to influence their views, or
- holding an event intended to influence other students' votes at a federal election or referendum.
You are not required to register activities if you are not undertaking them for the purpose of political or governmental influence, which could include, for example:
- hosting cultural events
- fundraising for social or humanitarian causes
- collaborating with an academic from a foreign university for a research project, or
- debating or discussing policy issues, for example at a tournament or conference.
What would exempt me and my student association from registering?
You might be exempt from registering under the Scheme even if you undertake activities on behalf of a foreign principal. For example, you will be exempt from registering if you undertake an activity that primarily relates to providing humanitarian aid or assistance, if you undertake a religious activity, or are a registered charity undertaking an activity for a charitable purpose.
Tina leads a student association at an Australian university. Her organisation regularly organises cultural events, fundraises for charitable causes, and advocates for changes to Australian foreign policy. The student association regularly interacts with foreign embassies and consulates.
1) Tina organised a fundraising concert to raise money for flood relief overseas. She invited a range of guests including the Ambassador of the affected country.
Tina does not need to register the fundraising concert (example 1) under the Scheme as it falls within the humanitarian aid exemption because the event is raising funds for charity.
2) Later in the year, the same Ambassador approached Tina to organise a rally to encourage the Australian Government to increase foreign aid to that country. Australia's foreign aid policy was under consideration by the Australian parliament at the time.
Tina does need to register the rally (example 2) as a communications activity conducted on behalf of a foreign government for the purpose of political or governmental influence because the purpose of the rally is to influence Australia's political and governmental processes at a federal level and no exemption applies.
Tina created an account for her student association and registered the rally on the Transparency Register. A journalist writing about the event saw the event listed on the register and noted the Ambassador's involvement. The register also informed federal politicians considering the foreign aid policy about the Ambassador's involvement in the rally.
Tina has fulfilled her obligations under the Scheme.