New Zealand strengthens commitment to combat bribery following London Anti-Corruption Summit

  • Judith Collins
Police

New Zealand has affirmed its commitment to combat bribery following the conclusion of the London Anti-Corruption Summit today. 

“We have made a number of commitments which build on the work New Zealand has done in recent years and will help to maintain our reputation as one of the least corrupt countries in the world,” says Police Minister Judith Collins, representing Prime Minister John Key at the Summit hosted by UK Prime Minister David Cameron on 12 May 2016.

“A key commitment on our part is for New Zealand to nominate a representative to the International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre (IACCC)” said Ms Collins.

The aim of the IACCC is to help investigators of corruption work together across multiple jurisdictions.  The IACCC will focus on cases of high level corruption with an international element where cooperation across jurisdictions can add real value. 

“New Zealand is committed to cooperating with our partners to help prevent illegal money flow across multiple countries caused by high level corruption, and undertake effective enforcement action against those involved,” says Ms Collins.

The current Police Liaison Officer in London will act as New Zealand’s representative to the IACCC. The Police Liaison Officer will help to support the establishment of the IACCC with the aim of making the IACCC fully operational by March 2017.

“In addition to supporting the IACCC, New Zealand has made a number of other commitments which reinforce our drive to combat corruption wherever it is found,” says Ms Collins. These fall into a number of different portfolio’s and include:

  • exploring the establishment of a public central register of company beneficial ownership information
  • continuing and intensifying efforts to develop procurement capability, including initiatives that safeguard integrity in the procurement process
  • where appropriate under New Zealand law, denying entry to specific individuals who are identified as being involved in grand scale corruption
  • exploring establishing an accessible and central database of companies with final convictions for bribery and corruption offences, and ways of sharing information on corrupt bidders across borders
  • supporting efforts to develop internationally-endorsed guidelines for the transparent and accountable management of returned stolen assets and the development of common principles governing the payment of compensation to countries affected by corruption
  • working with international sports bodies to develop a partnership for combating corruption in sport, and
  • working together to support efforts to implement the United Nations Convention against Corruption including the voluntary provisions.

Anti-corruption initiatives progressed by the Government in recent years include:

  • passing  the Organised Crime and Anti-corruption Legislation Bill to strengthen New Zealand’s bribery and corruption offences
  • ratifying the United Nations Convention Against Corruption
  • enacting the Companies Amendment Act 2014 and the Limited Partnerships Amendment Act 2014 to prevent overseas criminals from using  New Zealand’s companies registration systems to create shell companies, and
  • introducing the Crimes (Match-fixing) Amendment Bill to combat match-fixing risks during the Cricket World Cup and the FIFA under 20 (football) World Cup.