The New South Wales corruption watchdog has declared secret meetings or exchanges between lobbyists and government officials should be prohibited. The Operation Eclipse report released on June 22 by the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) found that reform of the current Lobbying of Government Officials Act (LOGO Act) or new legislation is needed to protect the public interest against the risks of corruption and undue influence. Operation Eclipse was conducted differently from usual investigations by the commission. It examined the particular aspects of lobbying activity and the corruption risks involving public authorities and officials rather than looking into an individual involved in shady conduct. The ICAC Chief Commissioner Peter Hall said that while lobbying could lead to positive outcomes in the public interest if conducted ethically and honestly, Operation Eclipse and other investigations have found that it can also lead to favouritism and corrupt conduct under the current inadequate …