New Zealand’s slide down the global corruption rankings has become so predictable it barely causes a stir says political commentator Dr Bryce Edwards, Director of the Democracy Project. Following are some extract
“New Zealand has dropped again: from 83 to 81, losing another two points and sinking to equal fourth alongside Norway. We are now eight points behind Denmark, which continues to sit comfortably at the top. Over the past four years, New Zealand has lost ten percent of its total score. That’s not a blip. It’s a pattern.”
Dr. Bryce Edwards
“Now, some will read this and shrug. “We’re still fourth in the world,” they’ll say. “What’s the problem?” The problem is the direction. Denmark is stable at 89. Finland is at 88. Singapore (which now blocks NZ from reclaiming the top spot in Asia-Pacific) is at 84. Countries like Switzerland, Sweden, and the Netherlands have also slipped, but none have declined as steeply or as consistently as New Zealand. We used to share the podium with Denmark. Today, we are eight points behind. That gap would have been unthinkable a decade ago.”
Key Question
“The question isn’t whether we should be worried. It’s why we aren’t more worried.”
Recently there was “the publication of the Anti-Corruption Taskforce’s pilot report, which is the first attempt by New Zealand law enforcement to get a system-wide picture of fraud and corruption inside the public sector.”
“The taskforce was led by the Serious Fraud Office, with support from New Zealand Police and the Public Service Commission. Six government agencies participated: Inland Revenue, ACC, Corrections, MSD, Land Information New Zealand, and Sport New Zealand.”
“Over a 15-month period, those agencies reported 446 alleged incidents of internal fraud and corruption. Many were classified as misconduct. But they also included cases that warranted criminal investigation.”
Damning
“Here’s the key sentence (and it’s damning): “Cases of internal fraud and corruption are almost certainly being under-reported, due to a number of factors, and the true scale of the issue remains unclear”.
“The Government’s taskforce report ends with a line about “recognising the value in protecting a strong reputation rather than trying to buy back a ruined one”. Fair enough. Except it shows a mindset still primarily about brand management rather than democratic accountability. The goal shouldn’t be protecting New Zealand’s “reputation.” The goal should be making sure our public institutions actually work for ordinary people, not for insiders and vested interests.”
“Finding fraud, as the taskforce report itself notes, “is a good thing”. It means the system is working. We need to get past the idea that detecting corruption is embarrassing. What should be embarrassing is choosing not to look for it.”
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Corruption has always been around. I recall “goings on” in the Forest Service back in 1980s when a Forest service officer who had a deer farm told helicopter operators who were very prone to “poach” that if they dropped every 4th or 5th deer “live captured” deer off on his farm, he would deflect any poaching complaints against them.
There wee other instances too not with deer but cirruption serving self interest – at the taxpayers’ expense.
I could never understand how NZ ever made it onto the list in the first place. Corruption is so rife as to be systemic.
Personally I know of a former councillor buying a block of worthless land that had no possibility of being developed, bought for a song, then magically rules changed the following year and now it houses a massive residential block.
Or the officer posting public notices on Christmas Eve and a week later on New Years Eve, and writing a report to Council that no submissions had been received – except we had submitted and were ignored – took an appeal to the Courts to resolve.
The list goes on with the loss of facilities for most – other than places where senior council employees reside.
After reading Bryce Edwards excellent article, I see Radio NZ ran this:- “New Zealand’s reputation for low levels of corruption has taken a hit for the fourth year in a row.
In global organisation Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perception Index – a survey of surveys measuring how corrupt a country is thought to be – New Zealand’s score has fallen two points.
New Zealand still ranked highly in fourth place alongside Norway, and behind Denmark, Finland and Singapore.
“We used to be first in the world and we’ve just seen a continual drop down the ladder – about 10 percent in four years,” Transparency International New Zealand chairperson Anne Tolley said. “It sort of feels like the wheels are coming off a bit and that’s really dangerous for our democracy.”
Yes you’re right Anne Tolley.
People shouldn’t be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people. While most people are full of apathy and disinterest and too many too tired to vote, bad government and corruption will rule.