In 2016, Aotearoa shockingly plunged to fourth place in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index. Nine years later, and we're back there again:
New Zealand has seen a further slip in its global ranking in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).Why? Transparency International Aotearoa blames a failure to keep up with international anti-corruption norms. Successive governments have still refused to reform political donations, ensure transparency around political lobbying, or create a public beneficial ownership register to ensure we can see who is really bribing or buying who. But in addition to that, there's just the way National does business. Last time, I highlighted "[t]he Saudi-sheep bribe. Sky City's crony casino deal. Oravida... wall-to-wall crony appointments and a politicisation of the OIA". This time round I'd point the finger at the fast-track law, undeclared conflicts of interest, and of course that same continuing pattern of wall-to-wall crony appointments and politicisation of the OIA. All of this creates a stench of corruption around the government, and around the state as a whole, leading to declining public confidence and legitimacy. If Parliament wants to do this, it knows how to fix it. If it consistently refuses to do so, we can draw our own conclusions.[...]
In the latest CPI New Zealand's score fell from 85 to 83, dropping its ranking to fourth place.
With Singapore moving into third place, it also bumped New Zealand off the top rank in the Asia Pacific region.
Previously considered a world leader in integrity and transparency, for many years New Zealand scored 'least corrupt' alongside Denmark.
