AUCKLAND: The annual Corruption Perceptions Index 2011 has ranked New Zealand's public service as the least corrupt in the world. The Index scores countries on a scale from 10 (very clean) to 0 (highly corrupt). New Zealand scored 9.5 out of 10. Of the 178 countries included in the survey, the most corruptly perceived country was Somalia, with North Korea just behind. Coming in behind New Zealand was Denmark, followed by Finland, Sweden, and Singapore. Australia came in eighth place, the United Kingdom at 16, and the United States at 24. Transparency International New Zealand co-chair Claire Johnstone said the ranking stood testament to the integrity of New Zealanders. “New Zealand's reputation for clean government is an important driver of economic prosperity, but it is important that we do not squander or take for granted this reputation,” said Johnstone. Transparency International New Zealand director Suzanne Snively said she believed the government needed to step up its efforts in combating corruption. “While New Zealand signed the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) almost 8 years ago, it now stands as one of only a tiny number of countries which has not yet ratified the convention, and consideration of the convention has been languishing in select committee “other business” for more than two years. We strongly encourage the new Government to address this urgently.” Transparency International's Global Corruption Barometer – which was released in December last year – found that 3.6 per cent of New Zealanders surveyed reported that they or someone in their household had paid a bribe to a service provider in the previous year. BM
