The Victorian government’s new planning minister, Lizzie Blandthorn, is under pressure to recuse herself from all matters involving her lobbyist brother’s clients after warnings about potential conflicts of interest.

On Wednesday, The Age reported on conflict-of-interest concerns about Blandthorn, given her brother John-Paul Blandthorn is a director of Labor-linked lobbying firm Hawker Britton, which represents major development, construction and infrastructure clients. He is also a former senior adviser to Premier Daniel Andrews.

Planning Minister Lizzie Blandthorn (second left) with Premier Daniel Andrews this week.Credit:The Age

Hawker Britton clients listed on the Victorian lobbyist register include developers Dennis Family Corporation, Intrapac and Caydon, construction giant John Holland in its role building the West Gate Tunnel, builder Winslow Group, Melbourne Airport, McDonald’s and the Shopping Centre Council.

Integrity experts say the Blandthorn appointment highlights major weaknesses in Victoria’s outdated rules on lobbying and the revolving door of political insiders who move between working in government and working for businesses seeking favourable decisions from government.

Former Court of Appeal judge and board member of Centre for Public Integrity Stephen Charles said the planning minister “should have nothing to do with any matter in which Hawker Britton is involved lobbying”.

“She would have too close a connection to give proper consideration to any matter involving her brother’s firm,” said Charles. “There is a perfectly clear conflict of interest.”

Lobbyist John-Paul Blandthorn is the brother of new Planning Minister Lizzie Blandthorn.

Greens leader Samantha Ratnam said the revelation of a close personal relationship between the incoming planning minister and a lobbying firm representing some of the biggest developers in town “warrants urgent reforms to the checks and balances needed to manage conflicts of interest and maintain integrity in the system”.

She pointed to strict laws that apply to local councillors requiring them to recuse themselves in matters where potential conflicts arose.

Ratnam said that in lieu of a strict and transparent plan for handling potential conflicts of interest, Blandthorn should recuse herself from matters involving her brothers’ clients.

State Opposition Leader Matthew Guy would not comment directly on conflict-of-interest concerns about Blandthorn, saying: “They’re issues for the Labor Party to explain.”

But he added: “This premier has a real issue with integrity and running our integrity systems. He weakens them; I want to strengthen them.”

The planning minister did not respond to requests for comment.

Instead, government spokeswoman Hayley Bester referred The Age to a statement released on Tuesday in which a spokesman explained that departmental secretaries and the public sector commissioner were developing a “robust management plan” to ensure the independence of Blandthorn’s decision-making.

McNaughton said that the management plan was not yet in place. She was not sure if the plan would be made public.

Blandthorn’s brother refused to comment on Wednesday.

The Age is not suggesting there has been, or will be, any impropriety between the Blandthorn siblings, only that Blandthorn’s appointment raises a potential conflict of interest.

The appointment of Blandthorn is one of several changes to the Andrews government frontbench after a string of ministers announced retirement plans last week.

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