NZ keeps low rank in bribe stakes

By Brian Fallow

WELLINGTON - New Zealand is still seen as one of the least corrupt countries, according to Transparency International's latest survey.

It ranks third-equal with Sweden, after Denmark and Finland, among the 99 countries in Transparency International's annual corruption perceptions index.

The index is a poll of polls, drawing on 17 surveys by 10 independent organisations.

As in 1998, Cameroon in West Africa has the worst ranking.

The chairman of Transparency International, Peter Eigen, said that although many very poor countries had the lowest positions on the index it would be wrong to call them the most corrupt countries in the world. More than 80 other countries had too little credible data to allow them to be included, he said.

Reflecting the fact that there are two sides to international corruption, Transparency International has also released a bribe-payers perception index, which ranks 19 leading exporting countries (New Zealand does not qualify).

The Swedes, Australians and Canadians were judged the least likely to pay bribes; the Chinese (including Hong Kong), South Koreans and Taiwanese the most likely.

The bribe-paying survey quizzed 770 executives in companies, banks and accounting and law firms in 14 emerging market economies.

Meanwhile, legislation that would make the bribery of foreign officials an offence in New Zealand, introduced to Parliament last month, is in limbo. The legislation would give effect to an OECD convention which this country has signed.

The Government has also indicated it will legislate to give effect to another commitment in the OECD convention - ending the tax deductibility of bribes paid overseas.