Queensland's anti-corruption watchdog is probing lobbyists in state politics amid growing concerns about the lack of transparency in their activities.
Crime and Corruption Commission chairperson Alan MacSporran has ordered a designated team to scope for a new "project" focusing on lobbyists.
"Lobbyists are very, very active, (there's) nothing wrong with that necessarily, but it's not particularly transparent," he told reporters on Friday.
The influence of lobbyists, consultants and donors in politics has become a prominent issue in recent months.
In December, Mr MacSporran urged the Labor government to be vigilant against "the temptations" that could confront them after their re-election on October 31.
His warning came a month after consultant and former Labor MP Mike Kaiser was appointed as acting director-general of the Department of Resources.
The presence of lobbyists Evan Moorehead and Cameron Milner in the government executive building during the election campaign also raised eyebrows.
Mr MacSporran warned that a "very real conflict of interest arises" when lobbyists work on political campaigns.
"That's just unhealthy, that certainly undermines public trust in the process," he said.
The chairperson did not say whether the CCC had received any referrals in relation to lobbying in recent months.
"I can't discuss anything that's not in the public arena, so I'm not saying there have been and I'm not saying there haven't been," Mr MacSporran added.
The anti-corruption boss also warned about the dangers of whistleblowers going to journalists rather than the CCC with allegations.
He said he supported the rights of journalists to protect their sources, unless the public interest was more important.
Mr MacSporran said that taking allegations to journalists to air them publicly could also lead to accused persons destroying evidence, which has happened in the past.
"We support real investigative journalism for obvious reason, so we're not anti-journalists, we're just anti tramping over our patch if we have a chance to make the assessment," he said.
"If you have information about corruption and you want us to investigate it, the last thing you should be doing it going public."
