TI Progress Report 2008: Enforcement of the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials (New Zealand)

New Zealand Cases or investigations:

No cases. Based on media reports and discussions with officials, it is estimated that there are around 6 investigations of foreign corruption matters, including companies involved in the Oil-for-Food scandal.

Statutory obstacles:

None

Organisation of enforcement:

Satisfactory. (Note: organisational structures are changing, with the establishment of a new Organised and Financial Crime Agency).

Complaint procedures:

Satisfactory. The Ministry of Justice maintains a website providing information regarding anti-corruption, including a hotline. Other government agencies also provide web-based information and contact details.

Whistleblower protection:

Unsatisfactory in the public and private sectors. The Protected Disclosures Act provides protection but does not provide a comprehensive protection of identity.

Recommendations:

The TI expert recommends that in addition to addressing the above-mentioned deficiencies, the following steps should be taken:

• The new Organised and Financial Crime Agency should be specifically resourced to deal with foreign corruption, so that funding for such work is not lost to other “higher priority” matters

• The creation of the new Agency could serve as a catalyst for encouraging closer work with foreign agencies in order to share information regarding potential trans-border investigations and prosecutions, and the methods used to detect foreign corruption