Transparency International New Zealand

1. Business / Trading Name: Transparency International New Zealand Incorporated (commonly known as Transparency International New Zealand or TINZ). This is the officially registered name of the New Zealand chapter of Transparency International.

2. Company Number: Incorporated Society registration number 1132910. (TINZ is registered as an Incorporated Society rather than a limited company.) It is also a registered charity under number CC32305.

3. NZBN: 9429043064069 (as listed on the Incorporated Societies Register)

4. Entity Type: Not-for-profit Incorporated Society (with Registered Charity status). (TINZ is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation, formally an incorporated society and registered charity under New Zealand law.)

5. Business Classification: Civic and Social Organization – specifically an anti-corruption and transparency advocacy organisation. (This aligns with the industry classification for NGOs focused on civic accountability.)

6. Industry Category: Non-profit watchdog / Advocacy. TINZ operates in the anti-corruption, transparency, and good governance sector, working across public and private domains to promote integrity.

7. Year Founded: 1999. (The New Zealand chapter was formally established in 1999 under inaugural chair Michael Morris.)

8. Addresses:

• Physical Address: No fixed physical office. TINZ operates virtually and does not maintain a permanent public office space.

• Postal Address: P.O. Box 10123, Waterloo Quay, Wellington 6140, New Zealand. (This is the mailing address currently used by TINZ.)

• Previous Postal Address: P.O. Box 5248, Lambton Quay, Wellington 6145 (an earlier mailing address cited in some sources).

9. Website URL:

https://www.transparency.org.nz

– Official website of Transparency International New Zealand.

10. LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/company/transparency-international-new-zealand/ – Official LinkedIn company page for TINZ.

11. Company Hub NZ URL: Data Not Found. (No specific “Company Hub” profile was found. TINZ is listed on public NGO directories and government registers, but no single CompanyHub page is available.)

12. NZ Companies Office URL: https://app.businessregisters.govt.nz/sber-businesses/viewInstance/view.html?id=229a78e05307b6d8bf1b29667f00cb17193a55852f9c8856&_timestamp=1607160901690607 (as listed on Incorporated Societies Register)

13. Social Media URLs:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TINZ.org – Official Facebook page.

• Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/NZTransparency – Official Twitter handle “@NZTransparency”.

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/transparencynz/ – Official Instagram profile.

• (LinkedIn is listed separately above. TINZ does not appear to have an official YouTube or other social media beyond the above.)

14. Ultimate Holding Company: None. (TINZ is an independent not-for-profit entity with no holding or parent company. It is the New Zealand chapter of Transparency International, but not owned by the international body – affiliation is through accreditation rather than shareholding.)

15. Key Shareholders: None (Not Applicable). (As an incorporated society/charity, TINZ has no shareholders. It is governed by its members and board. Major stakeholders are its members, partners, and donors, rather than shareholders.)

16. Leadership: Governance by an elected Board and a Patron, plus a Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Key leaders include:

• Hon. Anne Tolley – Chairperson (former Cabinet Minister and MP). Elected to the TINZ Board in 2020 and now serving as Board Chair.

• Debbie Gee – Deputy Chairperson, TINZ Board (background in public sector management).

• Dame Patsy Reddy – Patron (former Governor-General of NZ, appointed TINZ Patron in 2022). She succeeded Lyn Provost (former Auditor-General) who was Patron until 2022.

• Julie Haggie – Chief Executive Officer (appointed CEO in 2018). She leads day-to-day operations as a paid full-time executive.

• Other Board Directors: including Luke Qin, Adam Hunt, Derek Gill, Andrew Hunt, Jeffrey Galt, Philippa Yasbek Gurdeep Talwar, and others (as of 2023). The Board ranges from 5 to 12 elected members, all serving as volunteers.

17. Staff: Small professional staff supporting the Board. Aside from the CEO (Julie Haggie), TINZ employs a few part-time or contract staff:

• Liat Gush – Programme Manager (Finance, Projects & Membership).

• Anne Gilbert – Public Sector Project Manager.

• Steve Snively – Newsletter Co-Editor, Webmaster & Communications support.

These staff handle communications, events, project management and administrative support. (Total paid staff is in the range of 2–3 FTE, reflecting TINZ’s relatively small operational size.) The organisation also relies on numerous volunteers and members with delegated authority who contribute expertise pro bono.

18. Staff that have held previous government roles: Multiple TINZ leaders have government backgrounds, illustrating the “revolving door” between TINZ and public institutions:

• Hon. Anne Tolley – Former Member of Parliament (1999–2020) and Cabinet Minister (Education, Social Development, etc.). Also Deputy Speaker of Parliament (2017–2020).

• Dame Patsy Reddy – Former Governor-General of New Zealand (2016–2021) and ex-chair of the Intelligence Agencies Review (2015) before becoming TINZ Patron.

• Lyn Provost – Former Controller and Auditor-General of NZ (2009–2017), who served as TINZ Patron (2017–2021).

• John Luxton (Board member 2008–2011) – Former Cabinet Minister and MP.

• Tod Cooper (Māori Caucus Co-Chair) – Current public servant (Director of Procurement, NZ Department of Corrections) involved as a TINZ volunteer leader.

• Debbie Gee (Deputy Chair) – Career public sector executive (held senior roles in government agencies) – bringing government experience to TINZ’s board.

• Other examples: Former State Services Commissioner Don Hunn was an early TINZ member; and many TINZ volunteers come from public service backgrounds. (These connections underscore TINZ’s close links with the political and administrative class.)

19. Past Employees: Key former leaders and contributors (mostly volunteer board members, as TINZ has a small staff history):

• Michael Morris ONZM – Founding Chair (served from 1999, the chapter’s inception). A distinguished accountant and business leader, he was instrumental in establishing TINZ and was later honored as a Life Member. He passed away in 2019.

• Suzanne Snively DNZM – Chair of TINZ from 2011 until her retirement in Nov 2020. Under her decade of leadership, TINZ grew its profile, launched major projects (e.g. integrity system assessments) and she remains a Lifetime Member and advisor (leading the Financial Integrity System Assessment project).

• John Luxton CNZM – Board member (2008–2011), a former Cabinet Minister who contributed to TINZ’s early growth. He passed away in 2021.

• Trevor Roberts – Board member (2007–2011), chaired TINZ’s committee on anti-money laundering advocacy in that period. He passed away in 2020.

• Stephanie Hopkins – Former Treasurer and board member, briefly served as interim Executive Officer, and led audit & risk oversight, guiding TINZ toward financial sustainability.

• Lyn Provost – Patron (2017–2021) and board advisor; as ex-Auditor-General she played a key role in TINZ’s public sector engagement.

(TINZ’s paid staffing has been minimal; prior to Julie Haggie’s appointment in 2018, the “Executive Officer” role was often a part-time position filled by board members or volunteers. TINZ’s institutional knowledge largely comes from these volunteer leaders.)

20. Clients: Not Applicable. TINZ does not operate on a client-service model. It is an advocacy and civil society organisation, not a commercial consultancy. No clients in the traditional sense are served. (TINZ’s “stakeholders” are the public, government, and member organisations it engages with to promote integrity, rather than fee-paying clients.)

21. Industries/Sectors Represented: TINZ does not represent any specific industry sector; rather, it spans multiple sectors. Its membership and leadership come from across government, business, academia and civil society. TINZ’s work targets public sector integrity, business transparency, civil society accountability, and even Pacific regional anti-corruption initiatives. (In essence, TINZ represents the anti-corruption and good governance movement rather than a single industry.)

22. Publicly Disclosed Engagements: TINZ is transparent about many of its advocacy activities. Major engagements disclosed publicly include:

• Policy Submissions: TINZ regularly makes formal submissions to Parliament and government consultations. Examples: a submission to the Justice Select Committee’s inquiry into the 2023 Election (addressing lobbying, donations and electoral integrity): a submission on the draft Voluntary Lobbying Code of Conduct (critiquing its weakness): input on procurement rule changes: on foreign bribery legislation: on fast-track legislation during COVID: and letters on improving the UNCAC (UN Convention Against Corruption) review mechanism. These submissions are published on TINZ’s website for public viewing.

• Parliamentary Appearances: TINZ officers have appeared before select committees (e.g. on electoral law reforms and anti-corruption bills) – these are recorded in Hansard or committee records (e.g., TINZ gave evidence supporting stronger political donation rules and a lobbying register in recent hearings).

• Open Government Partnership (OGP): TINZ engages in NZ’s OGP process, contributing recommendations for National Action Plans on transparency and participating in OGP consultations.

• Official Consultations/Working Groups: TINZ has been invited to join advisory groups (for instance, representation on a government Industry Advisory Group for statutory review of whistleblowing law). In 2023, however, it was revealed TINZ convened a private advisory group of lobbyists to consult on lobbying ethics (this was not initially disclosed publicly, leading to media scrutiny).

• Transparency and Integrity Forums: TINZ co-hosts public forums (often with agencies like the Auditor-General’s office) to engage public officials and sector leaders on integrity issues – e.g. the Leaders Integrity Forum series is openly advertised and reported in TINZ’s annual reports.

• Publication of Indices and Reports: TINZ launches the annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) results in NZ, often briefing media and officials on implications. It also publishes National Integrity System Assessment reports (2013, 2018) which are public.

(All these engagements are part of TINZ’s role as an advocacy NGO and are documented via press releases, the TINZ website, or official records, except where noted.)

23. Affiliations: TINZ is formally affiliated with Transparency International (TI), the global NGO based in Berlin, as the accredited national chapter for New Zealand. Beyond this primary affiliation, TINZ has partnerships and affiliations with various organisations sharing integrity goals:

• It is a member of the UNCAC Coalition (a network of civil society groups monitoring the UN Convention Against Corruption) – recognized as the NZ national contact.

• It collaborates with the Open Government Partnership (OGP) civil society network in New Zealand (advocating OGP commitments on transparency).

• Affiliate Organisations: TINZ has formal affiliate relationships with groups like Oxfam New Zealand, the Institute of Internal Auditors NZ, FinTechNZ, the United Nations Association of NZ, the Victoria University’s International Leadership Programme Institute of Management Consultants, and the Honest Bunch Foundation, among others. These affiliates align with TINZ on anti-corruption and co-host events or projects.

• Collaborative Partners: TINZ maintains collaborative (less formal) ties with bodies such as Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ), the Society of Local Government Managers (SOLGM), the Institute of Public Administration NZ (IPANZ), the Public Service Association (PSA) union, the Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA), and Crimestoppers NZ. These partnerships involve joint events, information-sharing, and advocacy coordination.

• Government & Agency Links: While independent, TINZ works closely with New Zealand’s public sector – it has support from agencies like the Office of the Auditor-General (as evidenced by the Auditor-General becoming Patron and co-running forums), and engages with the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, etc., through funding contracts and consultative roles. (These links sometimes blur into funding relationships – see Financial section – but indicate affiliation in pursuit of mutual integrity objectives.)

• Transparency International network: TINZ collaborates with TI chapters in other countries (especially in the Asia-Pacific region). For example, it works with Pacific Island chapters on regional anti-corruption projects and contributes to TI’s global research (like the Global Corruption Barometer, Defence Integrity Index, etc.).

(Overall, TINZ is well-integrated into both international and domestic networks devoted to anti-corruption and transparency.)

24. Sponsorships / Collaborations: TINZ benefits from and engages in several sponsorships and collaborations:

• Corporate Supporters: Prominent professional services firms – KPMG, Deloitte, PwC – provide support to TINZ. This support is often in-kind (e.g. free meeting venues, catering, pro bono legal advice via law firm Gibson Sheat). These firms are acknowledged as business supporters of TINZ’s mission. (It’s noted that some of these firms simultaneously work in lobbying and compliance fields, which TINZ justifies by their expertise in anti-corruption compliance).

• Government Agency Funding Collaboration: Several government bodies sponsor or contract TINZ for integrity initiatives. For example, the Ministry of Justice, in coordination with agencies like MBIE, DIA, MFAT and the Public Service Commission, awarded TINZ a three-year contract (worth $250k total) to promote transparency and good governance. Law enforcement and regulatory agencies including New Zealand Police, Inland Revenue (IRD), the SIS, and GCSB have provided funding to TINZ’s operations (see Financial section) – effectively these are sponsorships aimed at bolstering TINZ’s anti-corruption work.

• Office of Auditor-General (OAG): TINZ collaborated with the OAG to co-host a series of Leaders Integrity Forums for senior public servants. The OAG also symbolically “sponsors” TINZ through the involvement of former Auditor-General Lyn Provost as a patron and providing meeting space/support for events.

• Civil Society and Academic Collaborations: TINZ works with NGOs and universities on events – e.g., partnering with Victoria University’s Brian Picot School of Ethics, or groups like World Vision and WWF on specific initiatives (such collaborations were mentioned in TINZ reports on climate and algorithmic transparency programs).

• Conferences and Projects: TINZ co-organises conferences such as anti-corruption symposiums (for instance, jointly running sessions during Fraud Awareness Week, or integrity seminars with institutions like the Institute of Directors). It also participated in the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC) by hosting the NZ chapter’s revival with MPs.

(These sponsorships and collaborations indicate TINZ’s strategy of working alongside powerful institutions (government, big consultancies) as well as like-minded NGOs, which has the benefit of resource support but also raises questions of independence – discussed later.)

25. Events (held or organised by this organisation): TINZ has convened numerous events to advance public discourse on integrity:

• Annual General Meetings (AGM): TINZ holds AGMs where members and stakeholders gather, often featuring guest speakers on corruption risks, and publishing an Annual Report.

• Public Sector Leaders Integrity Forums: As noted, a series of forums co-hosted with the Auditor-General – six such forums were held in one recent year, with ~70 attendees each, focusing on integrity in government agencies. These regular events target senior officials to discuss corruption prevention and ethical leadership.

• Workshops and Webinars: For example, TINZ has run webinars on topics like modern slavery, open government, and the Corruption Perceptions Index results. During the COVID-19 period, it hosted online events examining emergency procurement transparency.

• National Integrity System (NIS) launch events: TINZ presented its major assessment reports (2013 and an update in 2018) in public launch events, bringing together academia, media and officials to discuss findings.

• Financial Integrity System Assessment (FISA) events: TINZ’s ongoing FISA project (a comprehensive review of the financial sector’s integrity) has involved stakeholder workshops and an upcoming launch of findings.

• Conferences and Panels: TINZ representatives frequently speak at conferences. For example, CEO Julie Haggie has appeared on international panels (such as reviewing Taiwan’s anti-corruption performance). Domestically, TINZ co-organised conferences like the 2022 Auckland Integrity Forum and participates in events by partners (e.g. Institute of Internal Auditors conference, where TINZ signed an MoU).

• Media and Public Outreach: While not “events” per se, TINZ annually publicises the Corruption Perceptions Index with a media briefing and discussion panel, which is a key event in its calendar (NZ’s CPI ranking announcements often get press coverage with TINZ commentary).

• Sector-specific briefings: TINZ has held roundtables for business leaders on private sector ethics, and for civil society on protecting whistleblowers – these ad-hoc events foster cross-sector dialogue (often reported in the Transparency Times newsletter).

(Through these events, TINZ positions itself as a convener of conversations on integrity, engaging the public, private, and third sectors.)

26. Political Donations: None disclosed. TINZ, as a non-partisan charity, does not donate to political parties or candidates, and there is no record of any political donations made by the organisation. Its role is advocacy, not political financing. (In fact, TINZ often advocates for stricter political donation transparency, rather than participating in funding politics.) A search of NZ Electoral Commission donation records yields no entries for Transparency International. No political donations appear to have been given or received by TINZ. (Individual members of TINZ may make personal donations in politics, but that is outside the organisation’s scope.)

27. Controversies: Despite its mission of integrity, TINZ has faced some controversy and criticism in recent years:

• Secret Lobbyist Advisory Group (2023): In July 2023, an RNZ investigation by Guyon Espiner revealed that TINZ had “set up a secret group of lobbyists to advise on improving ethics in the lobbying industry”. TINZ had invited 4–5 professional lobbyists to form a confidential advisory panel on lobbying reforms, but refused to disclose their identities. This caused “astonishment” even among TINZ’s supporters, with one expert likening it to “the police recruiting gang members to determine new rules” – implying TINZ was captured by the very forces it was meant to watchdog. The incident raised questions of regulatory capture and transparency within TINZ itself. CEO Julie Haggie defended the decision as seeking practical input (“why wouldn’t you have a conversation with lobbyists about what would work”), but the secrecy was widely criticized.

• Funding from Intelligence Agencies: The same expose highlighted that TINZ receives funding from the NZ Security Intelligence Service (SIS) and Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) – agencies known for secrecy. The SIS/GCSB together contributed around NZ$30k per year to TINZ (recently reduced to $15k from SIS). Critics argue this “clandestine” support could compromise TINZ’s independence. (TINZ also gets funds from Police and IRD in smaller amounts.) While not illegal or hidden (the amounts were disclosed internally), the optics of an anti-corruption NGO taking money from spy agencies caused concern among some observers about potential conflicts of interest. TINZ insists these agencies fund it because they too have an interest in combating corruption.

• Perception of Establishment Bias: Political commentators (e.g., Dr. Bryce Edwards) have suggested that TINZ can be too aligned with the political establishment and “complacent” about NZ’s integrity issues. For years, New Zealand’s top ranking in TI’s Corruption Perceptions Index was touted by TINZ and politicians, possibly engendering a sense of complacency. A former volunteer, Ernie Newman, publicly severed ties in 2023, accusing TINZ of being “caught in a culture of complacency and captured by the system [it is] supposed to oversee”. He and others fault TINZ for not pushing hard enough for reforms like a mandatory lobbying register earlier, thereby “doing New Zealand a great disservice by continuing to tell everyone we are relatively uncorrupt… I don’t believe we are anymore”.

• Integrity of CPI and ‘Integrity Washing’: There’s been debate over TINZ’s promotion of the Corruption Perceptions Index. While the CPI consistently ranked NZ among the least corrupt, TI’s global office itself cautioned governments (including NZ) not to misuse the CPI to “present a misleading image of their governance”. Some critics use terms like “integrity washing” – suggesting that NZ’s elites (and by extension TINZ) were too self-congratulatory, using the high CPI score to deflect deeper scrutiny. This controversy is more about perception: as NZ’s CPI score has slipped in recent years to its lowest-ever (now 83/100, rank 3rd), TINZ has had to adjust its messaging from celebrating NZ’s cleanness to warning of decline.

• Connections to Lobbying Firms: Another point of media interest was the presence of individuals with lobbying roles on TINZ’s board. For example, Alan McDonald (TINZ Director 2021–2023) was concurrently Head of Advocacy (i.e., a lobbyist) for the EMA (Employers & Manufacturers Association). The inclusion of such figures has not sparked a scandal per se, but in light of the 2023 lobbyist group issue, it underscores potential conflicts.

• No Major Scandal Involving Funds: It is worth noting TINZ has not been implicated in any financial impropriety. Its controversies center on governance and stance rather than corruption: e.g., whether it is sufficiently transparent and independent given its close work with government and industry.

(Overall, these controversies highlight the fine line TINZ walks between collaboration with power brokers and maintaining an uncompromised watchdog role. They have prompted calls for TINZ to demonstrate greater transparency and assertiveness in its own practices.)

28. Other Information of Note:

• National Integrity System (NIS) Assessments: TINZ has undertaken comprehensive assessments of New Zealand’s governance systems. The 2013 National Integrity System report (and a selective update in 2018) analyzed institutions like Parliament, judiciary, media, etc., and made recommendations to strengthen integrity. These reports are significant references in NZ’s anti-corruption discourse.

• Financial Integrity System Assessment (FISA): TINZ is pioneering a world-first FISA – evaluating the integrity framework of NZ’s financial sector. This multi-year project (post-2018) is aimed at improving trust in financial institutions and is led by TINZ (Project Director: Suzanne Snively). The FISA involves surveys and engagement with banks, insurance companies, regulators, and will produce a public report on how to bolster financial sector ethics.

• Membership Composition: TINZ’s membership includes a mix of individuals and a few organisations. Members range from concerned citizens to professionals in law, academia, public service, and business. There is a notable presence of retired public officials and experts as members. TINZ has a Māori Caucus within its membership structure, reflecting an attempt to integrate Te Ao Māori perspectives on integrity (co-chaired by Debbie Gee and Tod Cooper).

• Funding Overview: Aside from government grants (detailed later), TINZ obtains income from membership fees, donations, and event registrations. It also occasionally secures international funding, e.g., from the Transparency International Secretariat (TI-S) for Pacific projects and from MFAT’s Pacific Enabling Fund for regional anti-corruption work. Its financial statements indicate an annual budget in the few-hundred-thousands NZD range, and it operates on a not-for-profit basis (any surplus reinvested in its programmes).

• Transparency Times Newsletter: TINZ publishes a regular e-newsletter “Transparency Times” which details its ongoing activities, commentary on current integrity issues, and global developments. This newsletter is a key outreach tool and provides insight into TINZ’s day-to-day focus (e.g., highlighting topics like public procurement transparency, open government data, etc.).

• Life Members and Awards: TINZ sometimes confers Life Membership to those who made extraordinary contributions (e.g., Michael Morris, Suzanne Snively, Lyn Provost, Stephanie Hopkins were honored as Life Members). These acknowledgments indicate the esteem held for long-serving integrity champions. TINZ itself does not give public awards beyond such internal honors, but it amplifies related awards (for instance, acknowledging when NZ businesses or agencies win international anti-corruption awards).

• Global Context: TINZ frequently contextualizes NZ’s performance against other countries via TI’s global indices (CPI, Global Corruption Barometer, etc.). It thus acts as a conduit for global best practice into NZ, while also exporting NZ’s experiences to the TI network. For example, TINZ contributed to TI’s global “Exporting Corruption” report and the Defence Anti-Corruption Index by providing NZ case studies.

(These additional points illustrate TINZ’s broader role as a knowledge hub and community of practice on integrity in New Zealand and the Pacific.)

29. Recipient of Wage Subsidy Scheme: Data Not Found. There is no public record of Transparency International New Zealand being a recipient of the COVID-19 Wage Subsidy in 2020–2021. A search of the official wage subsidy recipient list did not clearly show TINZ. Given TINZ’s small staff and continued operation through the pandemic (via remote work), it may not have applied for wage subsidies, or if it did, the information isn’t readily visible. No evidence of TINZ receiving the wage subsidy has been found in available public data.

Spot anything in this entry that is wrong? Please either leave a comment at the end or email, in confidence: bryce@democracyproject.nz