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Australian Development Gateway
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Past Media Releases
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For all enquires with regard to interviews, press releases and other media related information please contact 18 November 2009: Australia rises to eighth place in world anti-corruption table Australia’s slide in its standing as a non-corrupt nation has been halted in the latest international rankings of 180 countries released today by the global anti-corruption organisation, Transparency International.
Australia has risen to eighth spot from ninth in 2008 in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), halting a slide since 2002 when it was considered the least corrupt country in the world.
The Chief Executive of Transparency International Australia, Michael Ahrens, said Australia held top spot in 2002 before the exposure of dealings by the Australian Wheat Board with the Middle East, notably the Iraqi Government of Saddam Hussein. CPI 2009 Click here for full press release (09 Nov 11 Corruption Perceptions Index Media Release.pdf - 51.22 KB)14 April 2009: Transparency International Australia mourns the death of its Chair, Frank Costigan QC after a long illness Transparency International Australia mourns the death of its Chair, Frank Costigan QC after a long illness
Frank was an intrepid champion in the fight against corruption, not only in Australia. Through his work with TI, he was able to maintain close interest in and devote his energies to the effort to combat corruption internationally.
With his appointment as a director in 2003, he brought to TI Australia his professional and personal integrity and his commitment to social justice, advocating the rights of the poorest people, recognising that it was those who are most vulnerable to the impact of corruption.
TI Australia Executive Director Michael Ahrens, speaking on behalf of fellow board members, remembers Frank’s inveterate commitment to advance the anti-corruption cause in Australia through the global organisation Transparency International. He said, ‘Frank may have been small in stature but was a giant in spirit’.
He is remembered also for his keen sense of humour, as a gentleman, a fine lawyer and our Chair.
As a champion of the need for greater integrity Frank remained always committed to arguing the case for strengthening the oversight of those who hold public office as well as of those charged to enforce the law.
Frank Costigan’s role as our Chair has much enhanced TI’s reputation across the community. He was known and respected across the legal profession around Australia, across the spectrum of political parties and at senior levels of Government.
Our condolences are extended to all members of his family, his siblings, his children and grandchildren. He will be greatly missed by all who were privileged to know him.
Media contact(s):
Greg Thompson, Acting Chair TIA
0438826511
gthompson@transparency.org.au
Michael Ahrens, Executive Director TIA
0411360209
mca@zeta.org.au21 November 2007: The 10th anniversary of the OECD Bribery Convention & Australia The Ambassador to Rome, Amanda Vanstone, will today be reminded that over the last decade Australia has proved a laggard at prosecuting corporate corruption of officials abroad.
Representing Australia at an OECD conference being held to mark the 10th anniversary of the OECD Bribery Convention, Ambassador Vanstone will hear that the Convention, which was established to stamp out foreign bribery, has had very mixed results.
According to international corruption watchdog Transparency International, although most of the 37 signatories made foreign bribery a crime ten years ago, only 14 countries have enforced the rules. More than half have not – Australia included.
According to Huguette Labelle, chair of Transparency International, more action is urgently required from the OECD and member nations. “Unless lagging governments comply without further delays there is danger that existing support will unravel. TI’s concerns for the future of the Convention are aggravated by the assertion by the UK in the BAE Systems case that national security considerations override the commitment to prohibit foreign bribery.
“This sets a dangerous precedent that other governments could also use,” said Ms Labelle.
She said that strong action at a ministerial level was required to ensure lagging governments stamp out foreign bribery; to make sure that a properly funded monitoring programme be continued; and to ensure notions of “national security” could not be used to stall prosecutions of cases of foreign bribery.
Michael Ahrens, the executive director of Transparency International Australia, said Australia, whose international image had been badly tarnished by the AWB corruption scandal, needed to become especially vigilant about stamping out corruption.
“While our review of the first ten years of the OECD’s anti bribery convention shows that there has been some progress – it is far from enough progress. There has hardly been any sea change of international corporate behaviour.
“Corruption still takes place, and goes unchecked. Unless that is effectively policed, and anti corruption measures enforced it won’t just be Australia’s image that suffers. Corporate corruption affects competition, it prompts price hikes, and ultimately it swindles ordinary citizens,” said Mr Ahrens.
Ms Huguette noted that “Forward looking business leaders recognise that a bribe-free playing field is in their best interest and have adopted anti-corruption programmes without waiting for law enforcement.”
Characterising the OECD convention as a “Critical test of the will of the industrialised world to combat international corruption” she warned that “Failure of the Convention will destroy the credibility of the industrialised world in promoting anti-corruption efforts in the developing worked and in important countries such as China, India and Russia that are not members of the OECD.”
For further information please contact Michael Ahrens 02 9389 5930
www.transparency.org.au
27 September 2007: AWB Scandal takes its toll, says corruption watchdog International confirmation that Australia’s reputation for being graft-free has slipped came today according to an authoritative survey released by Transparency International, the global coalition against corruption. According to TI’s latest Corruption Perceptions Index, Australia dropped two places in the annual world corruption-free standings. Click here for press release (07_9_27 TIA Press Release.pdf - 81.67 KB)22 February 2007: Dealings between the Victorian Government and Police Association Transparency International Australia is concerned by the dealings between Victorian Government and Police Association revealed in the recently released “Record of Commitments” dated 6 November 2006, some 19 days before the 2006 State Election. Read the full text (07_2_22 Vic Police Deal.pdf - 76.05 KB)20 January 2006: Oil-For-Food not the good oil now The reputation of Australia as a strong supporter of the OECD Convention against bribery of foreign officials and as one of the least corrupt countries in the world has been tarnished as a result of the evidence unearthed in the Australian Wheat Board inquiry, which commenced this week. Read the full text (06_1_20 Oil-For-Food TIA media release.pdf - 83.39 KB)14 November 2005: Will Vital Volcker UN Oil For Food Documents Be Lost? Transparency International Australia (TIA) has been advised that the Volcker inquiry into the UN Oil for Food Programme will be wound down by the end of November 2005 and the highly experienced staff dispersed. Read the full text (05_11_14 TIA Media Release.pdf - 100.3 KB)7 December 2004: Meeting the Challenges of Corruption Transparency International Australia and the Corruption Prevention Network (Queensland) met recently to discuss ways of cooperating on a range of issues aimed at combating corruption at local, state and regional levels. Download the full article (mr7dec04.pdf - 124.85 KB)12 October 2004: Australia's Corruption Study Release The Australian chapter of Transparency International (TIA) today released the Commonwealth component of the Australian National Integrity Study. See media release (mr12oct04.pdf - 76.28 KB)8 June 2004: Abuse of ministerial power and vote-buying remain persistent problems: new TI Pacific Islands Integrity studies New Transparency International studies to be launched soon, highlight strengths and weaknesses of institutions in countering corruption in 12 Pacific Island countries. See TI Australia and TI New Zealand NISPAC Overview media release. (mr08jun04.pdf - 134.75 KB)14 May 2002: Bribe Payers Index 2002 TI Australia BPI 2002 Press Release. Click here to download (TIABPI02.pdf - 123.19 KB) BPI 2002 Background Questions and Answers (q&abpi02.PDF - 50.67 KB) BPI 2002 Tables with detailed results (bpi02tables.PDF - 53.21 KB) BPI 2002 Press Release from TI Secretariat (bpi02pr.PDF - 61.38 KB)
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