After years of powerful resistance, the Financial Action Task Force members are now finally open to suggestions on ways to revise the global standard on beneficial ownership transparency. Here are 5 key fixes from Transparency International.

In June 2021 the top public sector auditors from across the Pacific met together for the annual Congress of the Pacific Association of Supreme Audit Institutions (PASAI). This year’s congress was held online, enabling streamed attendance from Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) across the Pacific and around the world.

The 2021 Aotearoa New Zealand SDG Virtual Summit and release of the Auditor General’s report on New Zealand’s SDG preparedness put the SDGs in the spotlight. Urgent action is needed on our SDG Commitment..

Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission (PSC) recently reached out to the open government community looking for input about the topics for its first Long-term Insights Briefing and informing them that the extension to developing the next national action plan has been extended to mid-2022.

A June Webinar on business ethics event co-sponsored by the Free Speech Project and the Future of the Humanities Project at Georgetown University provides very clear messaging including that around corruption.

Transparency International New Zealand runs a series of Leaders Integrity Forums on issues relating to transparency, accountability, corruption-prevention and integrity for public sector leaders. Two recent cracking good forums for public sector leaders were held recently.

Integrity Fiji has gained its first step towards accreditation as a chapter of Transparency International. This signals a long fight to get the chapter recognised by the international body. It is now recognised as a national contact.

Transparency International New Zealand has worked with South Pacific people, civil society leaders and communities through the development of the South Pacific Outreach Project. As the first phase winds down, there is a lot of progress to report.

The UNCAC Coalition’s Working Group on Victims of Corruption is launching the short film contest: ‘Unveiling our Stories: Victims of Corruption’ and invites film makers – no matter if students, amateurs or professionals – to submit relevant works.

TINZ offered two submissions in August. We entered a submission to the Ministry of Justice regarding proposals against incitement of hatred and discrimination and one on the Māori electoral option.

TINZ responded to four questions raised in this submission. We support a broader review of the Māori Electoral option including consideration for Māori to switch between electoral rolls for both general and local government elections (and separately for each). We also agree that further research and community awareness raising is needed.

A stable and thriving economy and society rely on integrity systems that facilitate checks and balances on power, transparency of decision-making and information, the ability to speak up about wrongdoing, and to see this investigated. It also relies on the ability for people to explore issues, participate in public debate and policy formation.

Applying the National Integrity System Assessment model to small Pacific Island nations. The challenges and possible approaches.