"The recklessness, excesses and greed have been stunning. But, until Five Star directors Nicholas Kirk and Marcus MacDonald were this week jailed for lying to investors, not a single finance company executive had spent a single night behind bars."
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| New Zealand performs poorly compared with other first world countries but the latest research ignores economic factors. |
"The survey of about 200 groups, in both government and private sector, on both side of the Tasman showed the cost of fraud rose from an average NZ$1.9 million in 2008, to NZ$3.8m this year."
"The annual suicide rate in New Zealand is nearly 50 per cent higher than that of the road toll, figures show. The media is prohibited from reporting the circumstances of suicide unless the coroner allows it."Strict secrecy has not resulted in fewer suicides. In world terms, New Zealand is among the top ten highest suicide rates for youth. Also stopped by secrecy laws is more public debate over why New Zealand is one of the world's few societies to suffer proportionally more youth suicide than adult. For the last 25 years in New Zealand, that society has been dominated by a hard right-wing economic ideology.
"The danger for Ms Collins – and for the integrity of justice system – is that the lesson the public will take from the Wilson episode is that, when there is a problem involving the judiciary, shortcuts are taken, it is tidied away, and judges whose behaviour is questioned walk off with what Auckland University law expert Bill Hodge has described as "a very sweet package".
"Not only are the individual country scores provided by some of these systems less accurate than many users seem to assume, they reflect biases of which users are often unaware," reads the release.
In a press releasetitled the "transparency paradox", the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development highlights a "policy brief" released ahead of tomorrow's CPI figures. The OECD policy brief is by far the most heavyweight critique of the CPI in its 15 year history. Some suggest the survey reflects well known but relatively minor third world corruption at the expense of ignoring massive first world scandal.
Full release follows.
PRESS RELEASE
THE TRANSPARENCY PARADOX: GOVERNANCE RATINGS
25 October 2010, Paris – Tomorrow, Transparency International will release its 15th annual Corruption Perceptions Index. While not disputing the importance of these and other such international governance indicators, the authors of the OECD Development Centre's new Policy Brief "Measuring Governance" warn of a transparency paradox. They urge potential users to be more inquisitive about the real contents and precision of all international governance rating systems, and more careful how they use them.
Not only are the individual country scores provided by some of these systems less accurate than many users seem to assume, they reflect biases of which users are often unaware. The result can be misguided discrimination against developing and emerging economies not only by the many private international investors who use them, but by official aid donors as well.
'All international governance ratings systems are normative and imply a judgment. They are often not determined by an objective theory of what constitutes good governance, or of how to distinguish good from bad governance,' said Charles Oman, Head of Strategy at the OECD Development Centre. 'Governance indicators need to be transparent as official aid agencies often use them as a basis for their aid-allocation decisions.'
To access the new policy brief on "Measuring Governance" by The OECD Development Centre, please click here.
To speak to Charles Oman, please call: +33 (0)1 45 24 82 96.
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Justin Marshall, 36, agreed with rugby correspondent Peter Bills that New Zealand was an expensive country - and not just for visitors. Bills - sounding a caution ahead of next year's Rugby World Cup - said the prices of everyday articles had "horrified" him and Kiwis were "victims of massive overcharging". He said New Zealand was becoming "one giant rip-off".
The database on anti-corruption resources in the Inititative's member countries and economies is currently being updated, and the available countrysheets will be enhanced. |
"The review of policy is being conducted by the Treasury in secret. It invites submissions - but only a technical group made up of lawyers who act for overseas companies are allowed in on the debate."Slane was human rights commissioner for 11 years, and calls on lobbyists like the Business Round Table, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Business New Zealand and the CTU "to make their submissions public."
