TINZ Director, John Hall, suggests that "Transparency is when society can trust leaders to use power for social good." Part of the reason why we struggle to understand transparency is that there are so many things we want to associate with it. Is there really a common thread between the many disparate concepts?

We consider it important that agencies are aware of, and meet, the expectations set out in the Rules of Procurement and the Quick guide to emergency procurement. We would encourage you to remind all public sector leaders of their accountability.

Transparency and accountability must not be lost in the haste to respond to COVID-19. Trust is a commodity that is vital to New Zealand's economic recovery in both domestic and export markets. Here are practical steps for businesses to take now while dealing with COVID-19 and preparing for after.

As a consequence of panic buying in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments the world over have scrambled to award massive contracts to third-party vendors, with little if any, formal process and certainly no due diligence. This has sparked the interest of opportunists and crooks alike.

No matter how large and reputable an organisation nor whether it is private or public, systems and preventative measures may still be weak and ineffective to prevent bribery. The Airbus bribery case should be a call to all New Zealand organisations to review the risks around corruption and bribery internally, to ensure their measures are tested to prove effective.