Shining a Light

Shining a Light: Improving transparency in New Zealand’s political and governance systems is a new report from the Helen Clark Foundation. You can download it here.

The report considers the growing perception of corruption in New Zealand’s political and governance systems in recent years and why this matters.

Our research identifies five areas most vulnerable to corrupt practices: the practice of political lobbying; political donations and elections funding; access to official information; foreign bribery; and beneficial ownership of corporate entities.

We make a number of recommendations to make our political systems fairer, some of which have been put forward previously by reputable bodies, but so far current and previous governments have failed to implement them. These include:

• Regulating lobbying
• Limiting donations to political parties and improving disclosure of these donations
• Improving access to official information
• Strengthening laws against foreign bribery
• Establish a registry of beneficial ownership

The report is a timely examination of the key issues that affect transparency and integrity in New Zealand. We were particularly pleased to have a foreword written by former National Government Attorney General Hon Chris Finlayson, who writes:

Corruption is an insidious cancer. It is not enough for democracies like ours to pay lip service to principles of transparency and steps which need to be taken against corruption. New Zealand must critically examine the issues raised in this report on a regular basis and implement law changes, if necessary, as quickly as possible.

Latest Media:

• Q + A: Helen Clark Foundation: Lobbying and political donations rules need tightening (August, 2024).
• NZHerald: Political corruption, donations and lobbying in New Zealand: New report from the Helen Clark Foundation on rules in need of overhaul (August, 2024).
• 1News: NZ's political lobbying, donations rules need tightening - think tank (August, 2024).
• RNZ: Tougher rules needed to combat risk of political corruption - Helen Clark Foundation (August, 2024).
• NewstalkZB: New Helen Clark Foundation report calls for political overhaul to reduce corruption (August, 2024).
• NewstalkZB: Bryce Edwards: Helen Clark Foundation calls for tougher rules on corruption (August, 2024).
• Health Coalition Aotearoa: Growing perceptions of corruption in New Zealand’s political system need urgent action (August, 2024).
• NewstalkZB: The Sunday Panel: Should we be worried about political corruption? (August, 2024).
• JURIST: Law reform urged in report on political corruption in New Zealand (August, 2024).
• NewstalkZB: Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast: 19 August 2024 (from 17:58) (August, 2024).
• The Post: What I learned as an OIA hunter (August, 2024).
• RNZ: Mediawatch: Holding to account, holding the line on media freedom (from 48 seconds) (August, 2024).
• The Spinoff: Can an election really be fair if one party has four times more money than the other? (August, 2024).
• The Post: Shining a light on smokefree policy reveals troubling behaviour (August, 2024).
• Transparency International New Zealand: https://www.transparency.org.nz/blog/tougher-rules-needed-against-corruption-as-public-unease-grows (September, 2024).
• BusinessDesk: Business of Government: Keeping a lid on corruption and 'unseemly' debates, a key policy appointment and more (October, 2024).
• The Conversation: The best government money can buy? How New Zealanders feel about political party funding (October, 2024).
• The Post: The complicated case for a four-year parliamentary term (September, 2025).