News & Updates

Professional lobbying has grown significantly in New Zealand since the 1980s, yet regulation has not kept pace. While lobbying can contribute to public policy, the absence of clear rules has enabled practices that undermine public confidence.

Using urgency as a default legislative strategy — treating a parliamentary majority as a substitute for deliberation, or rushing complex legislation through simply because a government can is not acceptable.

As currently drafted, the Bill is an important step to overcome stalled progress on modern slavery legislation in New Zealand. but we have concerns with aspects of the current drafting and believe the Bill can be strengthened further to provide a more effective framework for addressing modern slavery.

Our “Let the Sun Shine In” series will spotlight the urgent need for openness in political funding, lobbying, and disclosure ahead of this year’s general election.

Transparency International New Zealand calls on parliamentarians and political parties to re-affirm their support for essential democratic processes.

Political donation reform is urgently needed. Weak donation laws, high disclosure thresholds, and limited enforcement powers create opportunities for undue influence and erode confidence in political institutions.

On 1 May Transparency International Fiji launched a new logo, website, and strategic plan. This long awaited event signals that TI Fiji is now firmly on the path to full chapter status within the global TI movement.

As the Pacific continues to navigate a more uncertain and demanding regional and global environment we will need institutions that are trusted, leadership that is principled and policies that are informed by facts and evidence.

A fundamental question is how New Zealand’s model of parliamentary democracy can adapt and remain resilient in the social media age. This was a key point raised by Sir Peter Gluckman from The Centre for Informed Futures and President of the International Science Council in thoughts submitted for the recent Democracy Forum discussions.

New Zealand’s strong reputation for integrity is under pressure as corruption becomes more complex and less visible. Insights from the February Leaders Integrity Forum highlight why prevention—and not just enforcement—must be the focus to protect our “integrity inheritance.”

This report provides a high-level overview of corruption risks, cases, and integrity trends in New Zealand, drawing on publicly available information to inform Transparency International NZ’s advocacy and policy priorities.

Len Cook, guest writer, TINZ member and former Chief Statistician, reflects on the Electoral (District Boundaries) Amendment Bill and the Data and Statistics (Census) Amendment Bill. Together they propose significant changes to the information that we all have to trust when making decisions and will have far reaching impacts that have not been drawn to the attention of either Members of Parliament or expert users.

In 2016 around 11.5 million documents were leaked from a Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca. The Panama Papers exposed systems and mechanisms that enable corruption worldwide. A recent webinar unpacked what the Panama Papers made possible — and why many of the same vulnerabilities persist today.

New Zealand should “grasp the nettle” on lobbying regulation because it is all about open government. Open government is clearly better for everybody including those who lobby and those who are lobbied.

On Monday 23rd March, Hon Dr Duncan Webb and Dr Vanessa Weenink MP hosted around 200 influential thinkers from various backgrounds at a cross party forum at Parliament. The purpose was to share ideas about how to ensure our democracy is preserved and enhanced.

The implementation review for New Zealand under the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) covering Chapter II (Preventive Measures) and Chapter V (Asset Recovery) has been released. The recommendations in the report align well with TINZ’s submission.

Transparency International New Zealand has submitted its response to the Government’s draft Seventh Periodic Report under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Transparency International New Zealand (TINZ) has made a submission on New Zealand’s draft Seventh Periodic Report under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In this submission, TINZ comments both on the draft report and more broadly on New Zealand’s ongoing commitments under the ICCPR framework.

This article is for those passionate about practical tools to build a Speak Up culture in New Zealand, arguing that trust can be tested. Bullying and harassment reporting is a strong indicator of how organisations handle other serious integrity issues.

TINZ Executive Director and several Board members recently met with international human rights superstar and journalist Ken Roth and attended his lecture at Victoria University. A key point is that pressure, not the courts, is perhaps the most important element for defending rights.

It appears from the 2025 election that local government elections are under active threat of increased corrupt behaviour. The integrity systems currently in place are showing their age. They need review and realignment to enable the full implementation of the principles of the Local Electoral Act 2001.

Public procurement accounts for up to US$13 trillion globally each year and remains highly vulnerable to corruption. New guidance from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) outlines how governments can use carefully designed incentives—alongside sanctions—to strengthen business integrity and reduce corruption risks in public contracting.

Following the results of the latest Corruption Perceptions Index and the Anti-Corruption Taskforce Pilot Report, we held a special event for the TINZ Leaders Integrity Forum and TINZ members to reflect on the findings.

It appears from the 2025 election that local government elections are under active threat of increased corrupt behaviour. The integrity systems currently in place are showing their age. They need review and realignment to enable the full implementation of the principles of the Local Electoral Act 2001.

A new Anti-Corruption Taskforce pilot report confirms that fraud and corruption in New Zealand’s public sector are likely being significantly under-reported, with major gaps in prevention and oversight. Some agencies show strong integrity practices, the findings highlight the urgent need for stronger, system-wide reforms.

The proposed Modern Slavery Bill aims to lift New Zealand’s integrity settings by introducing mandatory reporting, enhanced transparency, ministerial oversight and penalties for non-compliance. For boards and senior leaders, managing exploitation risk will become a core governance responsibility.

A landmark international agreement aims to curb secret and illicit political funding. This article explains why adoption of this resolution matters for New Zealand and how it could help restore public trust in our political system.

The Government’s renewed commitment to establishing a beneficial ownership register marks an important, if overdue, step in strengthening New Zealand’s defences against corruption, organised crime, and financial misconduct. But is it transparent and will it include trusts?

New Zealand’s CPI score has fallen by two points for the fourth consecutive year—a 10% drop overall. While New Zealand still ranks equal fourth with Norway, this continued slide reflects diminishing confidence among business experts and international assessors in the integrity of the public sector.

New Zealand’s CPI score has fallen by two points for the fourth consecutive year—a 10% drop overall. While New Zealand still ranks equal fourth with Norway, this continued slide reflects diminishing confidence among business experts and international assessors in the integrity of the public sector.

Our monitoring of the public notices of prosecutions, investigations and reports shows possible reasons for changes in New Zealand’s score in the Corruption Perceptions Index.

On Friday 31, October 2025 the United Nations Association of New Zealand (UNANZ) sponsored a reception commemorating the 80th anniversary of the United Nations. James Bushell, President of UNANZ, reminded us of what truly matters.

A great present to unwrap for Christmas, MBIE is releasing their Government Procurement Dashboards.We are promised they will be live by Christmas on their website.

We have produced a short three minute video that brings together Pacific voices speaking from the heart about what real participation and strong democracy look like in our region.

In Mid November Te Kawa Mataaho (Public Service Commission) published its second Long Term Insights Briefing (LTIB). TINZ would like to see more focus on strengthening the regulatory environment and a deeper dive into integrity risks.

The Transnational Organised crime index released in November 2025 included New Zealand. This article contains a summary of the findings for New Zealand.

TINZ Submission for New Zealand Open Government Partnership National Action Plan 5. The commitments are all relevant to TINZ advocacy points. However, overall the process of developing the NAP 5 by the PSC continues to tightly control civil participation. The OGP Participation and Co-Creation Standards encourage deeper levels of engagement than is evidenced in the New Zealand NAP5 development.

TINZ has been attending consultation sessions on the proposed National Action Plan 5 (NAP 5) for the Open Government Partnership. At civil society’s urging, the Public Service Commission (PSC) opened a brief consultation on the final draft plan, which ended on 8 December.

On 12 November, TINZ held its 2024-2025 Annual General Meeting at the Wellington Club, in Wellington. Ahead of the Annual Meeting, TINZ members and guests gathered for a panel discussion examining Aotearoa’s current legislative and system safeguards against growing corruption and integrity risk

Ahead of Transparency International New Zealand’s (TINZ) 2025 Annual Meeting, TINZ members and guests gathered in Wellington for a panel discussion examining Aotearoa’s current legislative and system safeguards against growing corruption and integrity risks.

Across the Pacific, civil society continues to show that determined, principled action can shift power, strengthen democracy, and protect public resources. As we acknowledge Anti-Corruption Day, we celebrate the remarkable contributions of Transparency International chapters across the region to this action.

On December 9th 2025, the world marks International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD). This year’s theme, “Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity”, highlights the vital role of young people in building fairer, more transparent societies.

The 5th Edition of the Government Procurement Rules goes live on the 1st December 2025. Using simpler language, the new edition places an increased emphasis on transparency and accountability for the spending of public money.

Strengthening democracy and curbing corruption in developing countries needs a multi-faceted approach, a new peer-reviewed paper from the US National Bureau of Economic Research shows. And, as it turns out, undermining democracy needs a similar approach — in developed countries as well.

Organised crime has become New Zealand’s top national-security threat, but new government proposals urge urgent, system-wide reform to fight back. Discover how the TSOC Advisory Group’s final report calls for bold, united action to protect our peace and prosperity.

In October, 2,000 people from more than 70 countries attended the Open Government Partnership’s Global Summit in Spain’s Basque Autonomous Community. Its theme was “a time of profound global challenges to democracy”.

In New Zealand, more and more of our personal information is being digitised and connected through the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI). To maintain public trust, there must be strong transparency, accountability, and integrity in how these tools are developed and used.

Transparency International Georgia leader risks up to 15 years in prison on unfounded charges, as civil society comes under growing pressure.

The 2024-2025 Transparency International New Zealand (TINZ) Annual Report was provided to members at the Annual General Meeting on the 12th of November. TINZ's mission is to foster a New Zealand culture where transparency, integrity, good governance, and ethical standards and practices are the core values of all New Zealanders.

Sir Geoffrey Palmer KC has just published his latest book ‘How to Save Democracy in Aotearoa New Zealand’. He agreed to the publishing of a recent speech where he talked about current threats to democracy.

The Cabinet has agreed to stay in the Open Government Partnership. This is contingent on a narrowing of the scope of the NAP5, now focusing closely on four areas of the Public Sector Commission’s Integrity Action Plan.

With local elections underway, we encourage everyone to vote. We also recommend resources for local officials.

Join our webinar series about learning from those who have gone before, lifting up each other’s voices, and finding the courage to step into political spaces — from the village council to parliament.

New Zealand scores 99 out of 100 in the Freedom House Freedom in the World report. This places New Zealand behind Finland with a score of 100 and second equal with Norway and Sweden. Unsurprisingly these are countries who regularly top the Corruption Perceptions Index.

TINZ has adopted a Code of Ethical Advocacy to complement its existing ethics policies by spelling out clearly the minimum standards we expect of our organisation in our commitment to being open and ethical in our advocacy activities.

Transparency International New Zealand regularly runs Leaders Integrity Forums on issues relating to transparency, accountability, corruption-prevention and integrity. A number of times a year, public sector leaders gather at these forums.

In September 2025 the Office of the Auditor-General looked at how the Public Service Commission promotes integrity in the public service; whether the Codes of Conduct, guidance, and standards it issues are relevant, current, and easy to find and understand; and what the Commission does to ensure that public servants know about and use these documents.

In September the New Zealand Customs Service released a report from the Ministerial Advisory Group on Transnational, Serious and Organised Crime, Leading the fight against organized crime. A key message from the report is the need for a more cohesive approach.

Pacific Chapters of TI have joined their voices to call for good governance, improved electoral integrity and stronger efforts across the Pacific to prevent corruption.

Our final talanoa in the Pacific Environmental Governance Series — Safeguarding Our Pacific: Tackling Corruption and Protecting Communities — was an honest and powerful conversation about corruption, courage, and community.

The construction and infrastructure sectors regularly appear in fraud/ corruption/ misconduct investigations undertaken by the Serious Fraud Office, the NZ Police, professional tribunals and recently the Commerce Commission.

Congratulations to the Board, staff and supporters of TI Australia (TIA) which celebrated TIA’s 30th anniversary in Melbourne in late August

In a significant first, a group of United Nations human rights experts - Special Mandate Holders - have issued a joint call urging governments to strengthen transparency and civil society participation in the implementation of the UN Convention against Corruption.

How can businesses in Aotearoa New Zealand grow responsibly while managing risks to people, planet and society? Find out more at the MBIE Webinar on 29 September 2025 at 2:00pm

The 2025 scholarship will help Hattie with her research on tension between corporate disobedience being used as a principled tool for societal change or simply as another vessel for corporate profit-making and influence.

AI promises efficiency in recruitment, but can it be fair? In New Zealand, organisations are beginning to experiment with AI in HR, raising urgent questions about transparency, accountability, and human oversight

TINZ is concerned that several of the proposed changes will disenfranchise citizens without reasonable justification. The legislation should also focus more on integrity, transparency and accountability in the election process. Read our submission.

Several of the government’s proposed changes to electoral law in the Electoral Amendment Bill will undermine the right to vote for some of our citizens

As a result of effort from Pacific Youth, The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has released a landmark advisory opinion on countries' responsibilities to prevent global warming.

Good news! New Zealand has acceded to the Budapest Convention at last.

Integrity risks often emerge in sectors that operate just outside the spotlight, where oversight is limited and compliance is inconsistent.

In Gaza our colleagues from AMAN Coalition, the Palestinian chapter of Transparency International, are starving. An entire population is starving. This has to end now.

TINZ continues to host a series of Pacific Voices webinars, the next and final one of this series is on 27 August. These webinars form part of our cooperative work across the Pacific

Currently active legislation and pending consultations August 2025

An impressive 44,737 out of just over 65,000 public servants completed the Public Service Census earlier this year. The results just out show both positive features of the New Zealand public service, and some worrying concerns.

Transparency International Netherlands (TI-NL) is celebrating a victory for integrity as the Netherlands House of Representatives adopted the ' Law on rules for the follow-up functions of ministers on 17 June 2025.

Corruption and fraud are ever present risks in the procurement cycle. The Serious Fraud Office Te Tari Hara Tāware and the Counter Fraud Centre Taurārai Hara Tāware have published a guide to preventing and detecting procurement fraud and corruption, which is a must read for everyone involved in the procurement process.

TINZ’s Pacific Webinar series is getting great attendance and very positive comments. Coming up next week we have an equally information packed session: Her role, Their future: supporting Women in Pacific Governance.

Strengthening the rule of law in Aotearoa New Zealand, a landmark report released by the New Zealand Law Society Te Kāhui Ture o Aotearoa highlights the ongoing and emerging challenges that are impacting trust and confidence in the rule of law in New Zealand.

Join Transparency International New Zealand for a 4-part online webinar series centring the voices of Pacific communities on environmental governance. From Indigenous knowledge to climate resilience, women’s leadership to anti-corruption, each session offers fresh insights, regional experiences, and practical solutions.

The TINZ Board has agreed the strategic focus for TINZ into the near future.

On 20 May 2025, a TINZ team joined other civil society representatives meeting with the visiting review team considering New Zealand’s implementation of its commitments under the United Nations Convention against Corruption.

The topic of the third webinar of our Pacific Anti-Corruption Series on 11 June is beneficial ownership. The first two events in this series were well received.

Investors are attracted to New Zealand because of the ease of doing business with a relatively low level of corruption. That is a reputation that has to be upheld, not put up for sale. We cannot de-prioritise due diligence and risk mitigation in the chase for the overseas dollar or yuan.

As we head towards World Whistleblowing Day on 23 June, we praise just a few of the many New Zealanders who have spoken up about corrupt behaviour in organisations they work in or for.

New Zealand owes a huge debt of gratitude to John Ryan, our retiring Supreme Auditor. He has carried out his role as the Controller and Auditor General with great wisdom, courage, objectivity, humanity and integrity, the qualities of a strong leader.

The New Zealand Law Society Te Kāhui Ture o Aotearoa, in partnership with LexisNexis, will launch its Strengthening the rule of law in Aotearoa New Zealand report on Wednesday, 25 June in Wellington

TINZ has completed its UNCAC submission as part of the Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) before a review panel visits New Zealand later this month. Our overall summary won’t surprise anyone -while overall New Zealand is comparatively less corrupt, our systems are under attack and we are not doing enough to proactively address the issue.

Transparency International New Zealand invites you to a new three-part Pacific Anti-Corruption Webinar Series. This free, online series is designed to bring Pacific voices to the forefront. The webinar topics are Anti-Money Laundering on 14 May, Organised Crime on 28 May and Beneficial Ownership on 11 June.

TINZ submitted an Official Information Act request to the Ombudsman to look at the impact of the Protected Disclosures (Protection of Whistleblowers) Act 2022. Here is what we found.

Cybercrime is widespread but poorly understood by ordinary New Zealanders. Unlike other crimes, it is unlikely to be prosecuted yet the financial losses can be devastating for victims.

Dr Marie Doole provides a summary of recent regulatory capture research encouraging us to consider the risk of regulatory capture throughout the policy process, not just the operational frontline.

A brief update on TINZ activities including UNCAC, the Pacific Programme, OGP, meeting with a visiting Malaysian delegation and Leader's Integrity Forums.

TINZ has completed its UNCAC submission as part of the Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) before a review panel visits New Zealand later this month. Our overall summary won’t surprise anyone -while overall New Zealand is comparatively less corrupt, our systems are under attack and we are not doing enough to proactively address the issue

Help us to get the word out there by following us on social media (Linkedin, Insta, Facebook). You can also amplify our message by liking and sharing our posts and inviting your friends and colleagues to follow us on social media.

TINZ is generally very supportive of the proposed changes. If followed these changes will increase transparency and accountability of the spending of the public purse. We recommend that the NZ Government Procurement Rules should also be reviewed against international standards such as the Open Contracting Partnership Global Principles and the OECD Principles for Integrity in Public Procurement.

We have almost 1,000 followers on Linkedin! Help us grow the transparency and integrity movement - the more people we can reach, the more we can help to raise awareness about critical issues that matter in our democracies.

Transparency International New Zealand has joined a campaign led by Health Coalition Aotearoa and including the Helen Clark Foundation, pushing for stronger measures towards political integrity through transparency, ethical standards and accountability.

The recently revised rules for central government agencies undertaking procurement are a positive step in increasing transparency of government procurement.

Every year Transparency International New Zealand (TINZ) monitors reported corruption to inform our strategy. This year’s scan reports $28 million in discovered and convicted cases.