This document outlines Australia's policy for development assistance on anti-corruption. It recognizes that corruption significantly hinders economic growth and development. The policy aims to assist developing countries reduce corruption in a sustainable way to improve social and economic outcomes. Australia will focus on building support for reform, reducing opportunities for corruption, and changing incentives for corrupt behavior. This will involve supporting transparency, accountability, and integrity in partner governments and engaging civil society, businesses, and international organizations. The policy provides a framework to plan, resource and review anti-corruption activities on a country-by-country basis.
The national anti corruption conference 2014Lwazi L.
The purpose of the National Anti-Corruption Conference 2014 is to lobby for multi-sectoral collaboration and standardisation in the fight against corruption in South Africa. The Conference provides an opportunity for high-level
government and business representatives, as well as civil society, to examine best practices for combating corruption with a particular focus on; promoting transparency and integrity in organising sport and other major events and
establishing cutting-edge measures for governments and business to combat corruption.
The national anti corruption conference 2014Lwazi L.
The purpose of the National Anti-Corruption Conference 2014 is to lobby for multi-sectoral collaboration and standardisation in the fight against corruption in South Africa. The Conference provides an opportunity for high-level
government and business representatives, as well as civil society, to examine best practices for combating corruption with a particular focus on; promoting transparency and integrity in organising sport and other major events and
establishing cutting-edge measures for governments and business to combat corruption.
Environment and globalization five proposistionsDr Lendy Spires
The processes that we now think of as “globalization” were central to the environmental cause well before the term “globalization” came into its current usage. Global environmental concerns were born out of the recognition that ecological processes do not always respect national boundaries and that environmental problems often have impacts beyond borders; sometimes globally.
Connected to this was the notion that the ability of humans to act and think at a global scale also brings with it a new dimension of global responsibility— not only to planetary resources but also to planetary fairness. These ideas were central to the defining discourse of con-temporary environmentalism in the 1960s and 1970s1 and to the concept of sustainable development that took root in the 1980s and 1990s.2 The current debate on globalization has become delinked from its environmental roots and contexts.
These links between environment and globalization need to be re-examined and recognized. To ignore these links is to misunderstand the full extent and nature of globalization and to miss out on critical opportunities to address some of the most pressing environmental challenges faced by humanity. The purpose of this paper is to explore these linkages in the context of the current discourse. For its February 2007 meetings, the Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GMEF) of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has selected environment and globalization as one of its areas of focus. This paper has been prepared as an independent input to that process.
The thrust of the paper, therefore, is on policy-relevant debates and its principal audience is environ-mental leaders assembling in Nairobi, Kenya, for the GMEF meetings. However, the paper aspires also to be relevant to audiences and debates beyond this meeting. We hope that the paper will inspire discussions even if they are critical of our analysis on the nature and importance of the links between environment and globalization.
Framework for a set of e-Government Core IndicatorsDr Lendy Spires
Background Information and communication technology (ICT) and its applications offer many opportunities for economic and human development. Within the framework of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), national governments, together with other stakeholders at national, regional and international levels are engaged in conceptualizing and deploying ICT and e-government applications in support of development. Inherent within these approaches is the issue of policy development and monitoring of ICT programmes.
The Geneva phase of WSIS established a set of targets for development of the information society. It included a target to: “Connect all local and central government departments and establish websites and e-mail addresses”. A recent publication by the Partnership (2011) suggested a set of e-government core indicators to measure this target. Many of the standards developed for those indicators have been adapted for this report. Box 1: The Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development Stemming from the mandate of the WSIS, the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development is the collaborative initiative of a number of international organizations.
Its current members are: Eurostat, the International Telecommunication Union, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, the World Bank, and four United Nations Regional Commissions (Economic Commission for Africa, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, and the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia). Launched in 2004, the key goal of the Partnership is to develop internationally comparable, relevant and reliable ICT statistics for measurement of the information society.
Development and maintenance of a core list of ICT indicators is one of its activities, and the development of e-government indicators is undertaken specifically in this context (ITU, 2010). In 2005, the Partnership launched the first edition of Core ICT Indicators followed by the latest edition published in 2010 (Partnership 2005; 2010). Both publications focused on the feasibility and relevance of these ICT core indicators. The objective was to provide a reliable and accurate understanding of the indicators and the associated statistical standards. For more information on the Partnership, see: http://measuring-ict.unctad.org.
The United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC), at its 2007 meeting, asked the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development to extend the core list of ICT indicators to include indicators on ICT use in government (UNSC, 2007). The Partnership, through its Task Group on e-Govern-ment, has been actively engaged in the development of internationally comparable e-government indicators since 2006.
Employment and social protection in the informal sector Dr Lendy Spires
In the recent past the ILO has carried out a large amount of research and technical cooperation activities relating to the informal sector and has provided extensive policy advice. The results of this work have greatly influenced the analysis, design and implementation of policies at the country level. There is also widespread international recognition of the value of this work, which over the years has improved understanding of the characteristics and functioning of the sector.
Given the current compelling issues deriving from the increasing proliferation of precarious forms of employment in most countries, the Office felt that the time was ripe to take stock of the additional knowledge and experience and to draw conclusions and recommendations for future policy orientations and programme priorities. For this purpose a thematic evaluation was carried out, providing a synthesis of the ILO’s work in the urban informal sector, covering both regular budget and extra-budgetary activities. The study reviews the accumulated knowledge and experience within the ILO and assesses the implementation of the strategies that have been developed to address specific problem areas.
It also assesses the impact of the application of these strategies and examines the important lessons learnt and potential areas for future work. A list of the ILO documents, reports and publications reviewed is available on request. This paper offers a summary of the thematic evaluation report. The outcome of its discussion by the Committee will provide guidance in further defining various work items at the start of the Programme and Budget for 2000-01.
Following the renewed emphasis placed by the Director-General on the quantity and quality of jobs, as reflected in the concept of decent work, the results of the evaluation have already proven useful for the preparation of programme proposals by several technical units. The informal sector is in fact a focus of attention in the Programme and Budget for 2000-01, which includes a separate operational objective to guide ILO future action. The strategy outlined in the programme and budget states that – … the inclusion of informal enterprises in national development programmes will be effectively promoted.
This will be based on interventions in a range of fields, including … establishing and strengthening associations of informal sector workers, which provide an effective vehicle for advocacy, social protection and community initiatives. Policy advice and support will help to identify and remove legal, fiscal and administrative barriers preventing the inclusion of informal sector operators in the modern economy.
Sub-Saharan Africa: The State of Smallholders in AgricultureDr Lendy Spires
The purpose of this paper is to provide a regional canvas for the broader discussion of the future directions on smallholders in agriculture. We do not attempt to provide a comprehensive overview of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), its agricultural sector or even all of the challenges and opportunities associated with smallholder farming.
Rather, the intention is to communicate our appreciation of the richness and complexity of the continent in comparison with other developing regions, and through discussion of the role of smallholder farmers in agricultural growth, focus the broader discussions of the conference on some of the key issues which, from our experience and that of IFAD projects working in SSA, are particularly relevant in our efforts to assist smallholder families definitively escape poverty through the transition towards ‘farming as a business’.
We begin in Section One with a brief overview of the land, geography, people, economy and of course, smallholder agriculture in SSA. Following this, in Section Two, we look more closely at the opportunities for SSA’s smallholders, adapting the perspective of IFAD’s recently released Rural Poverty Report to our regional context, and use a risk management lens to connect overall ecological and market contexts to the specific endeavours of smallholder farmers.
In Section Three, we move rapidly from the general to a specific focus on an issue which we feel merits much greater consideration – the importance of spatial and temporal coordination in reducing risk, increasing returns and allowing for project success. Finally, we conclude with some key recommendations on how these ideas can be transformed into an operational approach.
OECD Recommendation on Public Integrity - 26 January 2017 OECD Governance
The OECD Recommendation on Public Integrity provides policy makers with the blueprint for a public integrity strategy.
It shifts the focus from ad hoc integrity policies to a comprehensive, risk-based approach with an emphasis on cultivating a culture of integrity across the whole of society. For more information see www.oecd.org/gov/ethics/recommendation-public-integrity.htm
Australia is known for our ‘fair-go’ approach, but are we still delivering? Are we getting the balance right between risk and return as a nation? future[inc]’s latest thought leadership insight starts the conversation around how much risk we should expect government to regulate, how policy makers can provide equality of opportunity and what impact these decisions are likely to have on growth. This paper is the second in a series looking at the changing nature of policy-making in Australia. Download your copy.
Environment and globalization five proposistionsDr Lendy Spires
The processes that we now think of as “globalization” were central to the environmental cause well before the term “globalization” came into its current usage. Global environmental concerns were born out of the recognition that ecological processes do not always respect national boundaries and that environmental problems often have impacts beyond borders; sometimes globally.
Connected to this was the notion that the ability of humans to act and think at a global scale also brings with it a new dimension of global responsibility— not only to planetary resources but also to planetary fairness. These ideas were central to the defining discourse of con-temporary environmentalism in the 1960s and 1970s1 and to the concept of sustainable development that took root in the 1980s and 1990s.2 The current debate on globalization has become delinked from its environmental roots and contexts.
These links between environment and globalization need to be re-examined and recognized. To ignore these links is to misunderstand the full extent and nature of globalization and to miss out on critical opportunities to address some of the most pressing environmental challenges faced by humanity. The purpose of this paper is to explore these linkages in the context of the current discourse. For its February 2007 meetings, the Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GMEF) of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has selected environment and globalization as one of its areas of focus. This paper has been prepared as an independent input to that process.
The thrust of the paper, therefore, is on policy-relevant debates and its principal audience is environ-mental leaders assembling in Nairobi, Kenya, for the GMEF meetings. However, the paper aspires also to be relevant to audiences and debates beyond this meeting. We hope that the paper will inspire discussions even if they are critical of our analysis on the nature and importance of the links between environment and globalization.
Framework for a set of e-Government Core IndicatorsDr Lendy Spires
Background Information and communication technology (ICT) and its applications offer many opportunities for economic and human development. Within the framework of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), national governments, together with other stakeholders at national, regional and international levels are engaged in conceptualizing and deploying ICT and e-government applications in support of development. Inherent within these approaches is the issue of policy development and monitoring of ICT programmes.
The Geneva phase of WSIS established a set of targets for development of the information society. It included a target to: “Connect all local and central government departments and establish websites and e-mail addresses”. A recent publication by the Partnership (2011) suggested a set of e-government core indicators to measure this target. Many of the standards developed for those indicators have been adapted for this report. Box 1: The Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development Stemming from the mandate of the WSIS, the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development is the collaborative initiative of a number of international organizations.
Its current members are: Eurostat, the International Telecommunication Union, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, the World Bank, and four United Nations Regional Commissions (Economic Commission for Africa, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, and the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia). Launched in 2004, the key goal of the Partnership is to develop internationally comparable, relevant and reliable ICT statistics for measurement of the information society.
Development and maintenance of a core list of ICT indicators is one of its activities, and the development of e-government indicators is undertaken specifically in this context (ITU, 2010). In 2005, the Partnership launched the first edition of Core ICT Indicators followed by the latest edition published in 2010 (Partnership 2005; 2010). Both publications focused on the feasibility and relevance of these ICT core indicators. The objective was to provide a reliable and accurate understanding of the indicators and the associated statistical standards. For more information on the Partnership, see: http://measuring-ict.unctad.org.
The United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC), at its 2007 meeting, asked the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development to extend the core list of ICT indicators to include indicators on ICT use in government (UNSC, 2007). The Partnership, through its Task Group on e-Govern-ment, has been actively engaged in the development of internationally comparable e-government indicators since 2006.
Employment and social protection in the informal sector Dr Lendy Spires
In the recent past the ILO has carried out a large amount of research and technical cooperation activities relating to the informal sector and has provided extensive policy advice. The results of this work have greatly influenced the analysis, design and implementation of policies at the country level. There is also widespread international recognition of the value of this work, which over the years has improved understanding of the characteristics and functioning of the sector.
Given the current compelling issues deriving from the increasing proliferation of precarious forms of employment in most countries, the Office felt that the time was ripe to take stock of the additional knowledge and experience and to draw conclusions and recommendations for future policy orientations and programme priorities. For this purpose a thematic evaluation was carried out, providing a synthesis of the ILO’s work in the urban informal sector, covering both regular budget and extra-budgetary activities. The study reviews the accumulated knowledge and experience within the ILO and assesses the implementation of the strategies that have been developed to address specific problem areas.
It also assesses the impact of the application of these strategies and examines the important lessons learnt and potential areas for future work. A list of the ILO documents, reports and publications reviewed is available on request. This paper offers a summary of the thematic evaluation report. The outcome of its discussion by the Committee will provide guidance in further defining various work items at the start of the Programme and Budget for 2000-01.
Following the renewed emphasis placed by the Director-General on the quantity and quality of jobs, as reflected in the concept of decent work, the results of the evaluation have already proven useful for the preparation of programme proposals by several technical units. The informal sector is in fact a focus of attention in the Programme and Budget for 2000-01, which includes a separate operational objective to guide ILO future action. The strategy outlined in the programme and budget states that – … the inclusion of informal enterprises in national development programmes will be effectively promoted.
This will be based on interventions in a range of fields, including … establishing and strengthening associations of informal sector workers, which provide an effective vehicle for advocacy, social protection and community initiatives. Policy advice and support will help to identify and remove legal, fiscal and administrative barriers preventing the inclusion of informal sector operators in the modern economy.
Sub-Saharan Africa: The State of Smallholders in AgricultureDr Lendy Spires
The purpose of this paper is to provide a regional canvas for the broader discussion of the future directions on smallholders in agriculture. We do not attempt to provide a comprehensive overview of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), its agricultural sector or even all of the challenges and opportunities associated with smallholder farming.
Rather, the intention is to communicate our appreciation of the richness and complexity of the continent in comparison with other developing regions, and through discussion of the role of smallholder farmers in agricultural growth, focus the broader discussions of the conference on some of the key issues which, from our experience and that of IFAD projects working in SSA, are particularly relevant in our efforts to assist smallholder families definitively escape poverty through the transition towards ‘farming as a business’.
We begin in Section One with a brief overview of the land, geography, people, economy and of course, smallholder agriculture in SSA. Following this, in Section Two, we look more closely at the opportunities for SSA’s smallholders, adapting the perspective of IFAD’s recently released Rural Poverty Report to our regional context, and use a risk management lens to connect overall ecological and market contexts to the specific endeavours of smallholder farmers.
In Section Three, we move rapidly from the general to a specific focus on an issue which we feel merits much greater consideration – the importance of spatial and temporal coordination in reducing risk, increasing returns and allowing for project success. Finally, we conclude with some key recommendations on how these ideas can be transformed into an operational approach.
OECD Recommendation on Public Integrity - 26 January 2017 OECD Governance
The OECD Recommendation on Public Integrity provides policy makers with the blueprint for a public integrity strategy.
It shifts the focus from ad hoc integrity policies to a comprehensive, risk-based approach with an emphasis on cultivating a culture of integrity across the whole of society. For more information see www.oecd.org/gov/ethics/recommendation-public-integrity.htm
Australia is known for our ‘fair-go’ approach, but are we still delivering? Are we getting the balance right between risk and return as a nation? future[inc]’s latest thought leadership insight starts the conversation around how much risk we should expect government to regulate, how policy makers can provide equality of opportunity and what impact these decisions are likely to have on growth. This paper is the second in a series looking at the changing nature of policy-making in Australia. Download your copy.
Is policy making measuring up: Rethinking how we measure the success of a nation explores how global demands have changed the way we think and measure success and what the results really mean.
Australia and New Zealand perform well in global measures of corruption, and both countries trade on reputations for honesty and integrity.
However, rates of corruption are reported to be rising and we are trading increasingly often with countries that are considered to be highly corrupt.
This future[inc] paper examines what is currently being done, and what should be done to mitigate corruption in Australia and New Zealand.
Whistleblowers' law to fight corruptionM S Siddiqui
The regulators like ACC, Ombudsman and other agencies may encourage whistle blowing by establishing support structures and programs for policy implementation and penalizing violations of the rights and obligations of parties to whistleblowing.
Bangladesh has passed "The Public Interest-Related Information Disclosure (Protection) Act, 2010" but has hardly used it to fight against corruption.
The law is kept in the safe custody of the administration and used in compliance reports to UN only. This is not a secret document. A mere publicity of the existence of the law can create an unfavorable atmosphere for the corrupt persons and encourage the whistleblowers to blow a whistle in case of corruption.
PEOPLE AND CORRUPTION: ASIA PACIFIC – GLOBAL CORRUPTION BAROMETERMYO AUNG Myanmar
PEOPLE AND CORRUPTION: ASIA PACIFIC
Global Corruption Barometer
https://www.transparency.org/whatwedo/publication/people_and_corruption_asia_pacific_global_corruption_barometer
In the most extensive survey of its kind, we spoke to 21,861 people in 16 countries, regions and territories across the Asia Pacific region between July 2015 and January 2017 about their perceptions and experiences of corruption. The survey results show a great diversity in the corruption risks across the region, but in every country surveyed there is scope for improved approaches to corruption prevention.
https://www.transparency.org/files/content/publication/2017_GCB_AsiaPacific_CoreQuestionnaire_EN.pdf
PEOPLE AND CORRUPTION: ASIA PACIFIC – GLOBAL CORRUPTION BAROMETER
People and Corruption Asia Pacific – Global Corruption BarometerMYO AUNG Myanmar
http://www.transparency.org/whatwedo/publication/people_and_corruption_asia_pacific_global_corruption_barometer
PEOPLE AND CORRUPTION: ASIA PACIFIC – GLOBAL CORRUPTION BAROMETER
Filed under - Surveys
Report published 7 March 2017
In the most extensive survey of its kind, we spoke to 21,861 people in 16 countries, regions and territories across the Asia Pacific region between July 2015 and January 2017 about their perceptions and experiences of corruption. The survey results show a great diversity in the corruption risks across the region, but in every country surveyed there is scope for improved approaches to corruption prevention.
Similar to Tackling Corruption for Growth and Development (20)
Jennifer Schaus and Associates hosts a complimentary webinar series on The FAR in 2024. Join the webinars on Wednesdays and Fridays at noon, eastern.
Recordings are on YouTube and the company website.
https://www.youtube.com/@jenniferschaus/videos
A process server is a authorized person for delivering legal documents, such as summons, complaints, subpoenas, and other court papers, to peoples involved in legal proceedings.
Understanding the Challenges of Street ChildrenSERUDS INDIA
By raising awareness, providing support, advocating for change, and offering assistance to children in need, individuals can play a crucial role in improving the lives of street children and helping them realize their full potential
Donate Us
https://serudsindia.org/how-individuals-can-support-street-children-in-india/
#donatefororphan, #donateforhomelesschildren, #childeducation, #ngochildeducation, #donateforeducation, #donationforchildeducation, #sponsorforpoorchild, #sponsororphanage #sponsororphanchild, #donation, #education, #charity, #educationforchild, #seruds, #kurnool, #joyhome
This session provides a comprehensive overview of the latest updates to the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (commonly known as the Uniform Guidance) outlined in the 2 CFR 200.
With a focus on the 2024 revisions issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), participants will gain insight into the key changes affecting federal grant recipients. The session will delve into critical regulatory updates, providing attendees with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate and comply with the evolving landscape of federal grant management.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the rationale behind the 2024 updates to the Uniform Guidance outlined in 2 CFR 200, and their implications for federal grant recipients.
- Identify the key changes and revisions introduced by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in the 2024 edition of 2 CFR 200.
- Gain proficiency in applying the updated regulations to ensure compliance with federal grant requirements and avoid potential audit findings.
- Develop strategies for effectively implementing the new guidelines within the grant management processes of their respective organizations, fostering efficiency and accountability in federal grant administration.
Presentation by Jared Jageler, David Adler, Noelia Duchovny, and Evan Herrnstadt, analysts in CBO’s Microeconomic Studies and Health Analysis Divisions, at the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists Summer Conference.
Many ways to support street children.pptxSERUDS INDIA
By raising awareness, providing support, advocating for change, and offering assistance to children in need, individuals can play a crucial role in improving the lives of street children and helping them realize their full potential
Donate Us
https://serudsindia.org/how-individuals-can-support-street-children-in-india/
#donatefororphan, #donateforhomelesschildren, #childeducation, #ngochildeducation, #donateforeducation, #donationforchildeducation, #sponsorforpoorchild, #sponsororphanage #sponsororphanchild, #donation, #education, #charity, #educationforchild, #seruds, #kurnool, #joyhome
Russian anarchist and anti-war movement in the third year of full-scale warAntti Rautiainen
Anarchist group ANA Regensburg hosted my online-presentation on 16th of May 2024, in which I discussed tactics of anti-war activism in Russia, and reasons why the anti-war movement has not been able to make an impact to change the course of events yet. Cases of anarchists repressed for anti-war activities are presented, as well as strategies of support for political prisoners, and modest successes in supporting their struggles.
Thumbnail picture is by MediaZona, you may read their report on anti-war arson attacks in Russia here: https://en.zona.media/article/2022/10/13/burn-map
Links:
Autonomous Action
http://Avtonom.org
Anarchist Black Cross Moscow
http://Avtonom.org/abc
Solidarity Zone
https://t.me/solidarity_zone
Memorial
https://memopzk.org/, https://t.me/pzk_memorial
OVD-Info
https://en.ovdinfo.org/antiwar-ovd-info-guide
RosUznik
https://rosuznik.org/
Uznik Online
http://uznikonline.tilda.ws/
Russian Reader
https://therussianreader.com/
ABC Irkutsk
https://abc38.noblogs.org/
Send mail to prisoners from abroad:
http://Prisonmail.online
YouTube: https://youtu.be/c5nSOdU48O8
Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/libertarianlifecoach/episodes/Russian-anarchist-and-anti-war-movement-in-the-third-year-of-full-scale-war-e2k8ai4
What is the point of small housing associations.pptxPaul Smith
Given the small scale of housing associations and their relative high cost per home what is the point of them and how do we justify their continued existance
5. above: Democracy in action – a man casts his vote at a polling booth in Papua New Guinea.
photo: Edwina Stevens, AusAID
6. Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1
ANTI-CORRUPTION FOR DEVELOPMENT POLICY 3
1 THE CHALLENGE 3
2 WHAT IS CORRUPTION? 3
3 WHY INCREASE OUR INVESTMENT IN FIGHTING CORRUPTION? 3
4 WHAT FACTORS ENABLE CORRUPTION? 4
5 WHAT WORKS? 7
6 WHAT AUSTRALIA WILL DO 9
7 MANAGING CORRUPTION RISKS IN AUSTRALIA’S AID PROGRAM 13
8 HOW WILL THIS POLICY BE IMPLEMENTED? 14
9 HOW WILL WE KNOW IF WE’RE MAKING A DIFFERENCE? 16
GLOSSARY 17
7. vi TACKLING CORRUPTION FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE ON ANTI-CORRUPTION
8. 1TACKLING CORRUPTION FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE ON ANTI-CORRUPTION
Australia’s anti-corruption for development policy
provides a framework for planning, resourcing, and
reviewing anti-corruption activities on a country and
regional basis. It has been developed in collaboration
with a wide range of Australian government agencies
and external stakeholders.
The overall goal of Australia’s anti-corruption for
development policy is:
To assist developing countries bring about a sustainable
reduction in corrupt behaviour for the purpose of
improving economic and social development.
Australia’s approach to anti-corruption will focus on
three mutually reinforcing elements:
> Building constituencies for anti-corruption
reform: Strong leadership is critical for successful
anti-corruption efforts. Australia will assist
institutions, groups and individuals that support
good leadership. We will support the collection
and dissemination of information about the costs
of corruption. This will help mobilise support for
anti-corruption reform efforts.
> Reducing opportunities for corruption: Poor
political governance provides greater scope for
corrupt behaviour. We will support initiatives that
bolster transparency and accountability. Helping
to improve budget processes, public financial
management, and procurement systems makes
corrupt activities more difficult to undertake
and easier to identify and prosecute. Supporting
the establishment and implementation of
clear legislative and regulatory frameworks is
another important way to reduce opportunities
for corruption.
> Changing incentives for corrupt behaviour: We
will work with leaders, public officials and those
in the private sector to discourage corruption. The
timely investigation and prosecution of corrupt
behaviour sends an important message that
corruption will not be tolerated. A professional,
merit-based public service is also critical for the
effective and honest operation of government
systems and processes.
The starting point for our work is support for the
priorities and plans of partner countries to improve
governance and tackle corruption. Long-term
sustainability is most likely to be achieved through
this partnership approach. Where such country-led
strategies do not exist, Australia will support efforts
to develop anti-corruption policies and plans.
We will also build capacity and develop long-
term institutional partnerships with partner
governments through the placement of Australian
government officials in public service positions or
senior advisory roles. Together with other bilateral
agencies, multilateral donors, and regional and
global organisations, we will help partners to target
corruption better. Members of the business sector
and civil society will also be important allies in
putting this policy into practice.
Executive summary
AUSTRALIA HAS CONSISTENTLY SOUGHT THROUGH ITS AID PROGRAM TO HELP
PARTNER GOVERNMENTS STRENGTHEN GOVERNANCE AND REDUCE CORRUPTION.
BUT MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE. CORRUPTION HAS A SUBSTANTIAL AND NEGATIVE
IMPACT ON ECONOMIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT AND WEAKENS INSTITUTIONS.
THE COSTS OF CORRUPTION FALL DISPROPORTIONATELY ON POOR PEOPLE.
9. 2 TACKLING CORRUPTION FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE ON ANTI-CORRUPTION
The corrupt use of aid money clearly diminishes
the credibility and effectiveness of development
assistance. AusAID and its development partners
have an obligation to Australian taxpayers and the
Parliament to ensure that Australian aid money is
used effectively and efficiently, and is not subject
to misuse. The aid program has measures in
place to ensure accountability and reduce the risk
of corruption and bribery in the delivery of aid
activities. We will continue to assess the adequacy
of these measures regularly, and to strengthen them
as appropriate.
Because of its secretive nature, it is difficult to
measure corruption. Australia will work with
international experts to measure and monitor
progress in reducing corruption more effectively.
We will develop measures of progress for individual
activities and draw on long-term and high-level
measures, such as Transparency International’s
Corruption Perceptions Index and the World Bank
Institute’s control-of-corruption indicators.
We will report on progress in implementing the anti-
corruption initiatives through the Annual Review
of Development Effectiveness, to be prepared by
the Office of Development Effectiveness. Results
of the review will be integrated into the Australian
Government’s budgetary cycle to provide a practical
link between increases in aid allocations and
improvements in aid effectiveness.
above: Teaching civics helps to develop an informed and involved citizenry. photo: Lorrie Graham
10. 3TACKLING CORRUPTION FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE ON ANTI-CORRUPTION
Anti-corruption for development policy
1 THE CHALLENGE
Over the last decade, there has been increasing
recognition that corruption is damaging
development prospects in many countries.
Corruption inhibits economic growth – and therefore
poverty reduction – by distorting the allocation of
resources and increasing the costs of doing business.
When public resources to fund basic needs such
as access to clean water, health care, and primary
schooling are misappropriated, the poor are often
disproportionately affected. The responsibility of
political leaders and public officials to their citizens
is also directly undermined. As Australia prepares
to increase the amount of aid it provides to the
Asia–Pacific region, we need to ensure that our aid
funds are not diverted through corruption. Just as
importantly, we must ensure that increased aid levels
do not further fuel corrupt behaviour.
At the Millennium Summit in 2005 the Prime
Minister committed to increasing the Australian aid
program, but stated that increases in Australian aid
would ‘be conditional on strengthened governance
and reduced corruption in partner countries’.
Australia’s anti-corruption for development policy
is an initiative foreshadowed in the 2006 White
Paper Australian Aid: Promoting Growth and Stability.
Australia’s significant existing efforts to address
governance and reduce corruption will be further
strengthened through focused research, planning
and increased resources for anti-corruption work.
2 WHAT IS CORRUPTION?
Corruption is the misuse of entrusted power for
private gain. It can take many forms and vary
depending on local culture and context. A spectrum
of corrupt behaviour exists, from petty corruption,
which may include bribes or illicit payments for
routine bureaucratic processes, to grand corruption,
which involves leaders, politicians, and senior
officials diverting public resources on a large scale
to serve their private interests. Both petty and grand
corruption damage public trust and accountability,
and distort the allocation of public resources, thus
reducing economic growth and increasing poverty.
Corruption (petty and grand) sometimes takes the
form of state capture, a process of collusion between
the private sector and politicians or public officials
for their own private, mutual benefit. This can
lead, for example, to the government introducing
laws, regulations or policies that unfairly favour
vested interests.
3 WHY INCREASE OUR INVESTMENT IN FIGHTING
CORRUPTION?
The overall goal of Australia’s anti-corruption for
development policy is:
To assist developing countries bring about a sustainable
reduction in corrupt behaviour for the purpose of
improving economic and social development.
11. 4 TACKLING CORRUPTION FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE ON ANTI-CORRUPTION
Australia has a strong record of domestic action to
expose and punish corrupt activity. It has signed and
implemented important international conventions
such as the United Nations Convention Against
Corruption and the OECD Convention on Combating
Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International
Business Transactions.
Australia’s aid program has consistently sought to
help partner governments strengthen governance
and reduce corruption. Such efforts are fundamental
to poverty reduction and sustainable development.
There is a strong link between poor governance and
corruption in both the public and private sectors.
Governance refers to the exercise of authority –
political, economic, administrative or otherwise – to
manage a country’s resources and affairs. Corruption
is one aspect of poor governance and, although these
issues are not the same, improving governance can
support the fight against corruption.
In 2006–07 alone, the Australian Government
will spend an estimated $645 million on activities
to improve governance in the Asia–Pacific region.
Assistance with strengthening governance and
combating corruption is increasingly a feature
of programs such as the Australia–Indonesia
Partnership for Reconstruction and Development,
the Enhanced Cooperation Program in Papua New
Guinea and the Regional Assistance Mission to
Solomon Islands (RAMSI).
More needs to be done. Corruption is a major
impediment to broad-based growth and
development, undermining government revenue and
expenditure on the delivery of basic services such
as law and justice, health care, education, and the
maintenance of essential infrastructure. The World
Bank Institute has estimated that:
> more than US$1 trillion is paid in bribes each
year, and
> over the long term, countries that tackle
corruption and improve the rule of law can
increase their national incomes by as much
as four times.
Corruption in partner government institutions
also reduces their effectiveness in developmental
work, even if donor aid funds themselves can be
protected from fraud (and AusAID has stringent
anti-fraud controls in place). Corruption diverts
funds away from activities that are vital to poverty
reduction and sustainable economic growth and
development. Corruption:
> fuels the ‘black economy’, which reduces
legitimate government revenues
> presents a barrier to economic and institutional
engagement by the poorest
> exacerbates gender inequality as women are on
average poorer than men
> lowers private investment by increasing
transaction costs and creating a more uncertain
business environment
> diverts public expenditure from essential
services, and
> can lead to the unsustainable exploitation of
natural resources, particularly when inducements
are offered to bypass normal licensing procedures.
Corruption weakens institutions and makes states
more vulnerable to crisis. It has the potential to
undermine security in our partner countries and in
the Asia–Pacific region more broadly. Security can be
threatened when governments fail to deliver services,
uphold law and order, maintain public confidence
in institutions, or control the use of resources.
Corruption can lead to ‘money politics’ and
undermine the decisions of democratically elected
governments. Corruption can also open the way for
a variety of other crimes such as money laundering
and trafficking in drugs, arms, and people.
4 WHAT FACTORS ENABLE CORRUPTION?
While the causes of corruption can differ from
country to country, the following drivers of
corruption are considered to be crucial and will be
targeted for attention.
i. The legitimacy of the state is weak and national
leaders do not act in the public interest. In a
number of countries the exercise of political
power is, at times, motivated by private gain.
In situations where corruption is widespread
the expectation may be that politicians will act
in the interests of a few privileged constituents
instead of in the national interest. The strength
12. 5TACKLING CORRUPTION FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE ON ANTI-CORRUPTION
of political parties, the political structure
(parliamentary or presidential), and levels of
civic education may all play a role in shaping
political will for reform.
ii. Public sector rules and regulations do not
exist, or are weak or poorly implemented.
Public procurement, particularly for large-scale
infrastructure projects, is one of the areas most
prone to corruption. Service delivery sectors
are also vulnerable. In the health sector, for
example, processes such as the procurement
and distribution of pharmaceutical drugs
present a high risk of corruption. Problems in
natural resource management are exacerbated
by the abuse of discretionary regulatory powers,
especially in relation to valuable resources such
as forests and fisheries.
iii. Political appointments to the public sector,
low wages, and an absence of meritocratic
systems exacerbate bureaucratic corruption.
Public officials may resort to corrupt practices
to supplement inadequate public sector wages.
Public appointments are used to reward political
allies, which discourages talented staff and
undermines institutional performance. In
these situations there is often little incentive for
public officials to apply the rules in a fair and
transparent manner.
iv. Government accountability and oversight
mechanisms are ineffective. In many countries
accountability institutions are under-resourced
and lack the capacity to successfully combat
corrupt practices and abuses of public
expenditure. The oversight role of independent
audit offices is limited by weaknesses in
parliamentary committees that fail to follow up
on audit reports. Weakness in national criminal
justice systems – particularly police services,
offices of public prosecutions, and the judiciary
itself – also contribute to corruption.
v. The private sector can be both victim and
perpetrator of corruption, and an important
potential ally in efforts to combat corruption.
While foreign companies may be targets for
illicit rent-seeking behaviour, bribes may also
appear necessary to win business. However,
greater transparency and international
competition, and an increased awareness of the
costs that corruption imposes on business, have
seen the emergence of private sector champions
of transparency.
vi. The private sector and other non-government
organisations – such as the media and civil
society – lack the capacity or the will to demand
transparency and accountability of government.
The relationship between civil society
organisations and the government is not always
clear-cut. Though seen as independent, these
organisations often rely on government agencies
for resources or approval to operate, which can
limit their ability to speak out when necessary.
Media operations can also be constrained by
government regulation and interference.
above: Inside the East Timorese Parliament. photo: AusAID
13. 6 TACKLING CORRUPTION FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE ON ANTI-CORRUPTION
left: Customs officers examining
containers in Apia, Samoa.
photo: Peter Cotton, AusAID
below: The village court system performs
a valuable role in providing accessible
justice throughout Papua New Guinea.
photo: Rocky Roe
14. 7TACKLING CORRUPTION FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE ON ANTI-CORRUPTION
5 WHAT WORKS?
The experience of Australia and other donors in
supporting good governance and anti-corruption
efforts has provided important lessons.
i. Systematic anti-corruption reform requires local
‘champions for change’ and should be driven
from within. High-quality political leadership,
encouraged by a strong local reform movement,
is critical to success. Efforts to combat
corruption are most successful when change is
driven internally, and when political leadership
is strong. The private sector has a major role and
responsibility in fighting corruption. Industry
representatives, including trade unions, have
proven to be strong champions for reform.
ii. One size does not fit all. Past efforts to import
model solutions have, on occasion, tended to
do more harm than good, and simply resulted
in a waste of funds and effort. There are many
examples of successful measures (see boxes
on pages 9, 10, 12 and 13), but they will not be
appropriate in every context. Donor priorities
and responses must be informed by local
needs, identified through country-specific anti-
corruption planning. This will determine the
scope, sequence and speed of assistance, as well
as where emphasis is warranted. For example,
where political will is weak, engagement with
local reformers – particularly civil society – will
be key to building demand for reform.
iii. Anti-corruption strategies must be long term
and multifaceted. Anti-corruption work is
fundamentally about changing attitudes and
behaviour. This is both difficult and time
consuming. The ultimate objective is to achieve
improved standards of ethics, accountability
and integrity. This may require generational
change. An effective anti-corruption strategy
requires a multi-pronged approach. It needs to
draw on successful strategies that support local
reform constituencies, reduce opportunities
for corruption, and provide positive and
negative incentives.
iv. Assistance must be practical and flexible.
Australian assistance is often provided in fragile
environments, where limited local capacity is
already stretched. Assistance must be considered
in the context of the partner country’s fiscal
framework and local capacity limitations, and
remain flexible so as to adapt to changing
circumstances. Priorities – and corrupt practices
– will evolve over time. To be effective, anti-
corruption strategies must adapt to meet
emerging challenges.
v. The efforts of various donors must be well
coordinated. Concerted action avoids duplication
and wastage of scarce resources. When donors
put a range of separate demands on weak
institutions in developing countries, they risk
overwhelming local capacity. Donors can also
cause damage when they send mixed signals
on anti-corruption, for example by ignoring the
potentially corrupting effect of inappropriately
targeted aid.
vi. Address the supply (as well as the demand) side
of corruption. Actors within the private sector
can include foreign-owned companies, so donor
countries have a particular responsibility to
ensure that their own nationals do not engage
in corrupt behaviour. International experience
suggests that external donors can achieve
success in countering corruption by targeting
supply-side corruption internationally.
vii. There is clear evidence that countries with
greater proportions of women in leadership
positions experience lower levels of corruption.
While it cannot be assumed that women
are inherently less corrupt than men, it is
the case that nations that provide leadership
opportunities for women are more likely to be
open and transparent. The linkages between
gender equality and anti-corruption can be
promoted, for example, by introducing anti-
corruption measures alongside support for anti-
discrimination measures.
15. 8 TACKLING CORRUPTION FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE ON ANTI-CORRUPTION
top left: Improving law and justice systems helps
discourage corruption. photo: Peter Davis, AusAID
top right: Australian and Solomon Islander police officers
working together. photo: Australian Federal Police
right: Independent media is an important tool for
accountability and building demand for better governance.
photo: Mathias Heng, AusAID
far right: An East Timorese woman displays her voter
registration card. photo: David Haigh, AusAID
below: This junior secondary school in Lombok, Indonesia
was constructed with funds from the Australia–Indonesia
Partnership for Reconstruction and Development. The sign
outside the school advises the local community about the
construction process. photo: Karen Ingram, AusAID
16. 9TACKLING CORRUPTION FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE ON ANTI-CORRUPTION
6 WHAT AUSTRALIA WILL DO
Australia’s anti-corruption for development policy
provides a framework to guide Australia’s approach
to anti-corruption activities in the Asia–Pacific
region. Australia’s approach to tackling corruption
will be based on an understanding of what drives
corruption and on best practice approaches to
combating corruption.
Under the policy, Australia will focus on three
mutually reinforcing elements:
> building constituencies for anti-corruption reform
> reducing opportunities for corruption, and
> changing incentives for corrupt behaviour.
To improve governance and reduce corruption,
Australia will continue to build on existing
programs, by supporting the law and justice sector
and encouraging better economic and financial
management. We will address weaknesses in
oversight and accountability processes and
institutions, and help strengthen local demand
for change.
In view of the complexity and political sensitivity of
corruption, Australia’s assistance will include some
exploratory and experimental approaches, as well as
research to support a better understanding of, and
innovative responses to, corruption.
BUILDING CONSTITUENCIES FOR ANTI-CORRUPTION
REFORM
Fostering integrity and accountability in leaders
helps to promote anti-corruption reform in the
longer term. This requires a large-scale and
sustained commitment to formal and informal
education – training the young men and women
who will be society’s future politicians, judges,
prosecutors, police officers, civil servants, regulators,
entrepreneurs, and labour and community leaders.
Supporting gender equity in leadership positions
will contribute to a more just society and lower
tolerance for corruption. Strengthening institutions
and groups that support good leadership is also
important, as are initiatives that encourage public
office-holders to model ethical work practices
and behaviour.
A demand for change from local leaders and
communities is critical to addressing corruption.
Key to encouraging this demand is support for
the collection, dissemination and understanding
of information about the costs of corruption – for
society as a whole, and for specific sectors and
communities, including women. Disseminating
information on the success of anti-corruption
measures is important as a means of building
and maintaining reform momentum.
EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL APPROACHES
While assistance always needs to be tailored to the
local context, examples of approaches that have
successfully helped to build constituencies for anti-
corruption reform include:
> supporting civil society groups, churches, the
media, and other organisations that have the
capacity to gather information on the incidence
of corruption, to promote awareness among
constituencies most affected by corrupt activities,
improve understanding of public processes,
monitor government activities, and report cases
of corruption
> establishing cooperative relationships with
corporate entities, chambers of commerce,
professional associations and other organisations
that have the capacity to promote integrity, ethical
conduct, and transparency in the private sector
> promoting public and media freedom to
share information on corruption by helping to
implement freedom of information measures and
public reporting requirements for government
agencies, and
> funding and resourcing civic education to
support a population that is better informed
about the roles and responsibilities of their
elected representatives.
17. 10 TACKLING CORRUPTION FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE ON ANTI-CORRUPTION
REDUCING OPPORTUNITIES FOR CORRUPTION
Poor political governance provides greater scope
for corrupt behaviour. Weak political institutions
and processes can facilitate the capture of decision-
making processes. Support for initiatives that bolster
transparency and accountability are often necessary
in promoting long-term change.
Improved transparency in public sector processes
can strengthen the capacity of government and
civil society to monitor expenditure and control
financial flows. Helping to improve budget
processes, government financial management, and
procurement systems has far-reaching implications
for improved transparency, accountability, and
work practices – it makes corrupt activities more
difficult to undertake, and easier to identify and
scrutinise domestically.
Helping partners to put in place clear, appropriate
and functioning legislative and regulatory
frameworks and standard administrative practices is
important in reducing opportunities for corruption.
Such frameworks are needed to govern financial
management, budget processes, the granting of
licences and contracts, auditing, and reporting
processes. Implementation should focus not only
on establishing new practices but also on using the
viable frameworks and practices that already exist
and are ignored, unknown or poorly understood.
Promoting competitive markets is another important
strategy. Structural reforms to achieve this may
include corporatising and, in some cases, privatising
state-owned enterprises. Where monopolies
are difficult to avoid (for example, because of
infrastructure requirements), appropriate regulatory
frameworks are needed.
EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL APPROACHES
While assistance always needs to be tailored to the
local context, examples of approaches that have
proved successful in reducing opportunities for
corruption include:
> supporting domestic legislative and institutional
initiatives to enhance leadership, accountability,
and transparency in government revenues and
political party financing by:
– supporting key accountability and oversight
institutions, especially ombudsman offices,
leadership code commissions, auditors-general
and departments of attorneys-general, and
– improving the capacity of parliamentary
committees and MPs to oversee government,
including through public accounts committees
> supporting reforms to electoral systems to achieve
fairer and more representative elections, more
representative and responsible political parties
(with greater participation by women), and better
regulated processes to form governments
> supporting the making of appropriate legal
and administrative frameworks, at all levels
of government, to govern public financial
management, budgetary processes, procurement,
contracting, and payroll systems; and to limit
discretion in granting licences and approvals, and
in imposing fees and charges, and
> supporting efforts to ensure that government’s
participation in the market is appropriate,
including its role in business, and to put in place
competition regulation and electronic licences to
avoid middlemen.
CHANGING INCENTIVES FOR CORRUPT BEHAVIOUR
Negative incentives. Negative incentives, or
sanctions, can dissuade leaders, public officials,
private sector actors, and others from engaging
in corrupt practices. Making them work requires
technical expertise in collecting relevant financial
and other data, and disclosure of enough appropriate
information to allow for public scrutiny. Australia’s
18. 11TACKLING CORRUPTION FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE ON ANTI-CORRUPTION
above: An electoral official with
ballot papers in Papua New Guinea.
photo: Lorrie Graham
left: A joint Solomon Islands – Australian
police patrol intercepts longline fishing
and logging vessels to check the validity
of licences to operate in Solomon Islands
waters. photo: Gregory Primmer,
Australian Federal Police
19. 12 TACKLING CORRUPTION FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE ON ANTI-CORRUPTION
aid program already provides significant assistance
in the law and justice sectors of many partner
countries in the region. A strengthened focus
on supporting accountability and law and justice
institutions, backed up by timely investigation and
enforcement, is essential.
EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL APPROACHES
While assistance always needs to be tailored to
the local context, examples of approaches that
have successfully reduced the incentives for
corruption include:
> establishing or supporting sound public
financial management practices within finance
departments, service delivery agencies and
accountability institutions, to ensure that the
information needed to investigate and prosecute
corruption offences is captured
> strengthening the technical capacity of the law
and justice sector to investigate and prosecute
cases involving corruption
> promoting effective criminalisation of corruption,
for example, by supporting ratification and
implementation of the United Nations
Convention Against Corruption and the OECD
Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign
Public Officials in International Business
Transactions (OECD Foreign Bribery Convention)
> promoting effective anti-money laundering
regimes and facilitating action to track, trace and
recover the proceeds of corruption, including
through mechanisms such as Australia’s Anti-
Money Laundering Assistance Team
> supporting participation by Australia and partner
countries in transborder and transnational crime
initiatives, and building liaison networks to
improve detection and tracking of proceeds of
crime and criminals engaged in corruption, and
> supporting implementation by Australia and
partner governments of international anti-
corruption frameworks, such as the ADB–OECD
Anti-Corruption Initiative for the Asia–Pacific.
Positive incentives. The cumulative effects of poor
salaries, poor linkages between merit and promotion,
and otherwise uncertain career development
prospects, can foster corruption among public
officials. A professional, apolitical, merit-based, and
non-discriminatory public service plays a major
role in transparent and accountable government.
Public sector reform, including improved internal
governance arrangements, can provide positive
incentives for behavioural change. Again, a long-
term commitment to reform is required, with a
focus on simplifying procedures and regulations,
strengthening non-discriminatory and merit-based
appointment and remuneration systems, minimising
discretionary powers of decision-makers, and
fostering a commitment to values or codes of ethics.
Private sector reform can provide incentives
for increased accountability and transparency.
Companies with reputations for ethical conduct
are more likely to engage in business practices that
are sustainable, and encourage reform in both the
private and public sectors. A level playing field is
also in the interests of a healthy and sustainable
private sector.
Providing performance-based development
assistance can support and recognise a government’s
commitment to improved governance. Incentive
payments are a means of providing rewards for
improvements, but care needs to be taken to ensure
that performance payments are used only where:
> there is a strong existing commitment to a
program of action
> the program of action is within the control of the
incentives partner, and
> performance is able to be measured accurately via
jointly agreed, government-owned data sources.
20. 13TACKLING CORRUPTION FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE ON ANTI-CORRUPTION
EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL APPROACHES
While assistance always needs to be tailored to the
local context, examples of approaches that have
successfully increased the incentives for anti-
corruption include:
> upgrading personnel management frameworks
to promote remuneration outcomes that are
adequate to sustain appropriate livelihoods and
are fiscally sustainable
> promoting merit-based and non-discriminatory
employment practices that limit discretionary
appointments and encourage greater openness,
equity, and efficiency in the employment and
promotion of public officials, and
> offering substantial external incentives – for
example, membership of key regional economic,
trade, business, or legal groupings – as a reward
for governance improvements.
7 MANAGING CORRUPTION RISKS IN AUSTRALIA’S
AID PROGRAM
The corrupt use of aid money diminishes its
effectiveness and damages the credibility of aid
donors and partners in the fight against corruption.
AusAID and its development partners have
an obligation to Australian taxpayers and the
Parliament to ensure that Australian aid money is
used effectively and efficiently, and is not subject
to misuse.
The aid program has a number of preventive
measures in place to ensure accountability and
reduce the risk of corruption in the delivery of
aid activities. We will continue to evaluate and
strengthen these measures.
AusAID personnel are subject to the Australian
Public Service Code of Conduct. All AusAID
contracts require contractors to act in a manner
consistent with that code. In keeping with
Australia’s obligations under the OECD Foreign
Bribery Convention, AusAID contracts prohibit
corrupt practices and require compliance with the
Commonwealth Criminal Code in relation to bribery
of Commonwealth and foreign public officials.
AusAID’s procurement practices accord with
Commonwealth procurement requirements.
AusAID’s current contracts with project
management organisations provide for the
immediate termination of a contract if it is
established that the organisation has engaged in
corrupt practices. Managing contractors must grant
AusAID access to premises and records so that
AusAID can conduct a thorough inquiry into any
reported instance of bribery or fraud.
Accredited non-government organisations receiving
funds from the Australian aid program are also
required to comply with the Code of Conduct of the
Australian Council for International Development.
This code obliges a recipient organisation to ‘oppose
and not be a willing party to wrongdoing, corruption,
bribery or other financial impropriety in any of its
activities’. The code binds organisations to comply
with Australian and partner government laws and
regulations, and AusAID policies, ‘in relation to
corrupt practices, in particular the bribery of public
and foreign officials’.
AusAID audit and quality control measures are
intended to prevent and redress inappropriate
behaviour such as bribery. Control measures
include mandatory activity reporting by managing
contractors and non-government organisations,
providing regular updates on risk assessments and
ratings. AusAID commissions compliance audits
that include provisions to ‘identify risk areas where
fraudulent use of Commonwealth funds could have
or has occurred’.
Procedures for managing Australian aid can
provide good practice models. We regularly include
partner government officials as voting members in
processes for assessing, monitoring, and evaluating
large contracts. This provides all parties (including
prospective contractors) with an opportunity to
understand better the benefits of sound procurement
processes, and demonstrates the value of transparent
and accountable service delivery.
Australian companies have obligations under
Australian law not to engage in corrupt behaviour.
The aid program has revised its fraud and contractual
policies to emphasise private sector compliance with
obligations under Australian law. The Australian
Attorney-General’s Department has published an
information package and fact sheets for Australian
companies operating overseas.
21. 14 TACKLING CORRUPTION FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE ON ANTI-CORRUPTION
Choosing the appropriate form of aid is important
in minimising corruption risk. It requires judgment
about how much the allocation and management
of Australian resources should be integrated into
partner government institutions and systems. New
forms of aid – such as programmatic and sector-wide
approaches – can promote partner ownership, reduce
transaction costs, improve partner government
accountability, and lead to more sustainable
outcomes. However, where corruption still poses a
challenge, reliance on partner government budgetary
and financial management systems may also
increase the risk of fraud.
Decisions about forms of aid must be made on
a case-by-case basis. Corruption risks need to
be taken into account in designing programs
and projects. This is best done through risk
and fraud management analysis and planning,
program and activity monitoring, and specific anti-
corruption plans.
In very corrupt environments, aid delivery
mechanisms can be enhanced by:
> applying tools that ‘give voice’ to beneficiaries
(such as beneficiary surveys and citizen
report cards)
> building partner capacity to collect information
and report on organisational performance and
accountability
> increasing transparency and disclosure of project
procurement and financial management issues
> strengthening the focus on internal controls and
audits to build the capacity of local audit systems
and provide independent oversight, and
> applying a communications strategy that delivers
consistent messages to all relevant stakeholders
on fraud and corruption issues.
8 HOW WILL THIS POLICY BE IMPLEMENTED?
STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS
Across the Australian Government there is a breadth
of expertise that can support improved governance in
partner countries. A whole-of-government approach
to anti-corruption allows Australia to draw on this
expertise and augment diplomatic efforts. Country
aid strategies will include an analysis of areas where
further collaboration is likely to have the greatest
impact and which should be given priority.
We will continue to place Australian officials in
public sector positions or senior advisory roles
in partner governments as part of a longer-term
institutional partnership.
> The Australian Federal Police and the Attorney-
General’s Department are working with regional
countries to strengthen legislative frameworks,
help build capacity in anti-money laundering, and
recover proceeds of crime.
> The Australian Federal Police is engaged in
initiatives to improve capacity in the Asia–Pacific
region to investigate fraud and corruption.
> The Treasury and the Department of Finance and
Administration are helping to strengthen financial
management systems in partner countries.
> AusAID is helping with public sector reform,
community engagement, and improved
governance in service delivery.
Partnerships between Australia and other bilateral
agencies, multilateral donors, and regional and
global organisations will be important for delivering
improved anti-corruption outcomes. The region’s
governments, including Australia’s, have signalled
a renewed commitment to fighting corruption
through regional and global reform efforts such
as the ADB–OECD Anti-Corruption Initiative for
the Asia–Pacific and the OECD Working Group
on Bribery in International Business Transactions.
These frameworks emphasise the importance
of partnership and the need for domestic and
international efforts to be mutually supportive.
We will strengthen our dialogue with international
financial institutions (particularly the World
Bank and Asian Development Bank), multilateral
agencies (such as the United Nations Development
Programme), and global organisations dedicated
to promoting accountability and anti-corruption
(particularly Transparency International). We
will support joint research on corruption and
anti-corruption.
22. 15TACKLING CORRUPTION FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE ON ANTI-CORRUPTION
People in the business sector and civil society who
have shown initiative in combating corruption
will be important allies in implementing this
policy. Establishing international links (‘twinning’)
between professional bodies – such as chambers
of commerce, law and accounting institutes, and
company boards – offers significant opportunities
to address corruption. Credible civil society
groups, including community-based organisations,
churches, media and other organisations, may also
be important partners in raising awareness about
corruption and promoting anti-corruption coalitions.
COUNTRY AID STRATEGIES
The starting point for our work is support for
the priorities and plans of developing countries
themselves to improve governance and tackle
corruption. This approach is most likely to achieve
long-term sustainability and effectiveness. Where
country-led strategies do not exist, the Australian
Government will, where requested, support
partner governments to develop anti-corruption
policies and plans.
Whole-of-government country aid strategies are
the key joint planning documents for Australia’s
assistance to partner countries. Country strategies
will be updated to include country-specific anti-
corruption plans. They will take into account existing
anti-corruption policies, donor and local initiatives
already under way, and the country’s overall needs
and priorities. We will focus assistance on areas
where impact is likely to be greatest.
Country-specific plans will be based on analysis
of the key drivers and costs of corruption, and the
political, economic and social dynamics affecting
corruption. We will:
> analyse where corruption imposes the
greatest costs for development in the context
of the partner country’s broad economic and
development priorities
> assess partner institutions, especially the key
accountability and oversight institutions, and
identify institutional gaps and weaknesses
above: Improving governance and combating corruption play a crucial role in delivering improved health and education services
in our partner countries. photo left: Valerie Haugen photo right: Jessica Pelham, AusAID
23. 16 TACKLING CORRUPTION FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE ON ANTI-CORRUPTION
> identify local capacity limitations, including in
the partner government’s fiscal framework, and
in availability of human resources, technology
and infrastructure
> identify realistic opportunities for action,
informed by Australian experience, international
best practice, and ongoing research about tackling
corruption, and
> match Australia’s skills and resources to
needs and priorities, taking account of local
anti-corruption efforts, the work of other donors,
and ways to build on current effective
Australian interventions.
Country programs will support anti-corruption
activities with the potential to maximise positive
economic impact in partner countries. Sectors of
the economy associated with substantial revenue
generation (for example, infrastructure, forestry,
fisheries, and extractive industries) are particularly
vulnerable to corruption. Responses should identify
the ‘hot spots’ in particular countries, and be
tailored accordingly.
9 HOW WILL WE KNOW IF WE’RE MAKING
A DIFFERENCE?
Corruption is difficult to measure because it often
occurs in secret. Some proxies for measuring
corruption do exist, such as Transparency
International’s Corruption Perceptions Index and
National Integrity Systems and the World Bank
Institute’s control-of-corruption indicators. For
specific country or sector programs, surveys can
provide information about community perceptions
and opinions about levels of corruption and
maladministration. Australia will continue to work
with international experts, such as the World Bank,
to develop better measures of corruption and ways of
monitoring progress in combating corruption.
Some measures exist to monitor corruption at a
broad level. For example, the Public Expenditure and
Financial Accountability (PEFA) framework provides
objective data for monitoring fiscal procedures, and
Global Integrity’s Public Integrity Index measures
social and institutional aspects of corruption.
It will be important that short- and medium-term
evaluation measures are set in place to track the
progress of specific anti-corruption initiatives.
Measures developed in one country program will
need to be comparable with those developed in other
country programs so that credible and consistent
measurements of progress across the aid program
can be made.
The Australian Government will report on progress
in implementing anti-corruption initiatives through
the Annual Review of Development Effectiveness
(ARDE). The ARDE will report against the three
themes set out in this policy: building constituencies
for anti-corruption reform; reducing opportunities
for corruption; and changing incentives for corrupt
behaviour. The ARDE will be produced by the Office
of Development Effectiveness. Results of the review
will be integrated into the Australian Government’s
budgetary cycle to provide a practical link between
increases in aid allocations and improvements in
aid effectiveness.
left: Village heads in Aceh, Indonesia receive community land maps. Effective land administration ensures that land is
accountably and transparently allocated. photo: AusAID
right: Reconstruction in Aceh following the 26 December 2005 tsunami. Strengthening the role of partners can improve
accountability and transparency. photo: AusAID
24. 17TACKLING CORRUPTION FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE ON ANTI-CORRUPTION
accountability institutions Institutions that promote better public accountability by improving
the design and functioning of the mechanisms through which
public officials are elected and held accountable. These include
institutions that support democracy such as constitutions,
elections, parliaments and broad-based political parties, as well as
oversight institutions such as ombudsman offices, leadership code
commissions, auditors-general, departments of attorneys-general
and public accounts committees.
corporatisation Changing the structure of state-owned enterprises so that they are
organised in the same manner as private corporations but shares
remain in the ownership of the state.
corruption The misuse of entrusted power for private gain.
demand-side corruption Corruption that is driven by pressure for a bribe to be paid.
extractive industries Industries that remove oil, gas and mineral resources from
the ground.
fiscal framework The systems and processes that governments use to allocate
public money.
freedom of information measures A legislated system enabling the release of government documents
upon request from a member of the public.
governance The exercise of authority – political, economic, administrative or
otherwise – to manage a country’s resources and affairs.
grand corruption Activities involving leaders, politicians and senior officials diverting
public resources on a large scale to serve their private interests.
international financial institutions The World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and other
multilateral development institutions that provide significant
financial and technical support to developing countries.
meritocratic systems Public or private sector systems within which promotion or success
is based on merit, rather than alliances or bribe-paying.
money laundering The practice of using money in transactions (such as casino
gambling) in order to conceal its identity, source and/or
destination.
Glossary
25. 18 TACKLING CORRUPTION FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT A POLICY FOR AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE ON ANTI-CORRUPTION
oversight institutions A subset of accountability institutions including ombudsman
offices, leadership code commissions, auditors-general,
departments of attorneys-general and public accounts committees.
Oversight institutions review technical processes of public
administration, in addition to allegations of inappropriate
behaviour by public officials.
petty corruption Activities including bribes or illicit payments for routine
bureaucratic processes.
privatisation The transfer of assets or service functions from public to private
ownership or control.
programmatic or sector-wide approach A framework where funding for a sector – whether internal or
from donors – supports a single policy and expenditure program,
under government leadership, and the adoption of common
strategies across the sector. It is generally accompanied by efforts
to strengthen accountability and government procedures for the
disbursement of funding.
rent-seeking behaviour The process by which an individual or organisation seeks to
profit through a manipulation of the economic environment,
rather than through the production or trade of goods or services.
It is commonly used to refer to situations where an individual or
organisation demands payment (in money, goods, etc) in return for
a separate, favourable outcome.
service delivery agencies Government agencies that develop and implement policies related
to the provision of services, for example, education or health.
state capture A process of collusion between the private sector and politicians or
public officials for their own private, mutual benefit.
supply-side corruption Corruption that is characterised by the act of offering to pay an
unsolicited bribe – thereby creating or reinforcing a system of
bribe paying.
transborder crime A crime that is committed across a border between two countries.
transnational crime Criminal activity committed in more than one country, or criminal
activity committed in one country that is prepared or directed from
within another.