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In countries such as Canada, the UK and the US, restrictions are placed on public servants and politicians moving straight into private sector posts in order to protect against corruption. While some Australian states have implemented codes of conduct regulating post-separation employment, there are no federal level codes governing post-separation employment for politicians and public servants. In 2004, the Independent Commission against Corruption (ICAC) released its report which recommended that “the Government introduce rules to restrict the range of employment that Ministers can take up immediately after leaving office”. Post-separation employment is especially a problem when politicians move into employment closely aligned with their previous responsibilities. The concern is that public officials will improperly use confidential government information and/or seek to lobby or influence colleagues and staff.
In December 2007, Kevin Rudd released a new Standards of Ministerial Ethics to replace Chapter 5 of the Guide on Key Elements of Ministerial Responsibility, which deals with ministerial conduct. Among its changes are requirements for ministers to undertake that for eighteen months after leaving their ministry, “they will not lobby, advocate or have business meetings with members of the government, parliament, public service or defence force on any matters on which they have had official dealings as Minister in their last eighteen months in office”.
Source: Section 2.19. [Post-ministerial employment] from the Standards of Ministerial ethics released in December 2007 - http://www.dpmc.gov.au/guidelines/docs/ministerial_ethics.pdf
