APGRA members believe that government relations practitioners must be honest, open and transparent in their dealings with government (and for consulting practioners, clients) and are committed to high standards of integrity in the conduct of their businesses and activities.

The Association developed a Code of Conduct to clearly articulate the professional and ethical framework for the way in which members relate to government in Australia. 

Members’ primary obligations are to abide by the relevant legislation and government codes in place around Australia. It is intended that the APGRA code operates alongside those schemes, but in any and all cases of inconsistency, relevant legislation and government codes will prevail to the extent of that inconsistency. 

Membership of the Association is open to any firm or person for whom the making of representations to government in Australia constitutes part of their professional activities, and who is prepared to abide by and implement this Code of Conduct and Membership Rules, and continues to comply with them on an ongoing basis.

This Code of Conduct covers the activities of members in their interaction with Australian governments at all levels. Members can include specialist government relations firms and their staff, professional communications firms that also offer government relations support as part of their services, ‘in-house’ and individual government relations practitioners, as well as any other professionals who make representations to government. 

It is a prerequisite and condition of membership of the Association that members adopt and abide by this Code of Conduct, and that all practitioners involved in providing government relations services and making representations to government observe the duties and principles set out in the Code. Members are required to renew their commitment to the Code each year as a condition of membership. 

Failure to adopt and abide by this Code of Conduct and Membership Rules are grounds for declining or cancelling membership of the Association, or other sanctions deemed appropriate and proportionate. 

Members must submit a Code Compliance Statement each year. For all members, this is a signed statement agreeing to be bound by the Code of Conduct and Membership Rules. For members which are firms, this will also include a statement that their relevant staff have signed and agree to be bound by the Code of Conduct and Rules. 

APGRA also has a process to the deal with any complaint about a Member’s breach of the APGRA Code of Conduct. Please email president@apgra.org.au