Julie Haggie
Chief Executive Officer
Transparency International New Zealand
Since its inception, Transparency International New Zealand (TINZ) has been a strong advocate for Pacific anti-corruption efforts. It has run capacity-building and research programmes with Transparency International's Pacific chapters for 15 years.
When funding ended, TINZ continued to advocate for anti-corruption support in the Pacific. This funding started again this year.
Most of the work we have done focussed on the chapters of Transparency International in Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and Fiji until it lost accreditation. We have been acutely aware of the need for stronger voices for integrity and accountability in Polynesia. The low population numbers, poverty and remoteness make it more difficult to sustain chapters while corruption runs rampant.
Developing an anti-corruption network
TINZ is excited to now have the opportunity and some resource, to develop a South Pacific network focussing around anti-corruption and the benefits of transparency and integrity. The network will include organisations and individuals in the Pacific diaspora in New Zealand, while also connecting to South Pacific nations, and Fiji. The project, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), also includes further work with Integrity Fiji and the development of a risk assessment tool for small nations.
The project aligns with the New Zealand government's Strategic Intentions for the Pacific. This is to promote a stable, prosperous and resilient Pacific in which New Zealand's interests and influence are safeguarded.
New Zealand's impact is reliant on trusted relationships with Pacific communities. This also applies to the project that TINZ will deliver. In this one year project, we will be working hard to make every dollar count.
