Advertising is PR, not lobbying.
Lobbying often involves implicit or explicit offers of campaign funding, PAC support/opposition, and gifts that skirt the edge of what is legally bribery.
No, lobbying is “attempting to influence the government”. Advertising about proposed bills is 100% lobbying.
Without any funding to the politician involved, a lobbyist’s job is to convince the politician of voting a particular way.
A sleazy lobbyist may try money in indirect ways for/against the politician, but a regular one will try to raise awareness through advertising and public pressure. It’s all lobbying.
Lobbyists may engage in PR activity, but that does not make PR activity lobbying.
Lobbying has a pretty clear definition which you are trying to stretch here.
Let me put it this way: Airing an ad about a government rep or piece of legislation is PR or advertising. Using the threat or promise of airing that ad to try to talk a politician into doing something is lobbying.
Re:Australia to Ban Engineered Stone
by ghiculescu on Thursday December 14, 2023 @07:16AM
(#38640547)
lol we certainly have lobbying in Australia, they just apparently keep a lower profile than American lobbyists do.
Lobbying means someone is trying to influence the government through things as simple as advertising campaigns. Those exist in AU.