Anti-Corruption Taskforce Pilot
The Anti-Corruption Taskforce, led by the SFO with support from New Zealand Police and the Public Service Commission, aims to build a clearer, system-wide picture of corruption and fraud risks across the public service.
New Zealand’s public sector is facing an increasing risk of corruption and we are not alone, with similar experiences emerging internationally. Corruption damages trust, compromises the quality of services and threatens the country’s economic wellbeing. It is important that the public sector is equipped to effectively prevent it from taking hold.
Assessing the scale of the issue, highlighting strengths and weaknesses, and identifying opportunities for improvements are critical first steps in protecting New Zealand’s valuable reputation.
The Anti-Corruption Taskforce led a pilot assessment that aimed to answer two questions:
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How big is the issue of fraud and corruption inside New Zealand public sector agencies?
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Are those agencies equipped to detect and prevent fraud and corruption?
Six agencies from across the public sector were invited to report on the nature and volume of alleged internal fraud and corruption cases in their organisation, and self-assess the controls they have in place to prevent and detect offending.
Taskforce findings
In February 2026, the Taskforce published a report (Anti-Corruption Taskforce pilot report: Assessing fraud and corruption risks in the New Zealand public sector [PDF, 1.8 MB]) outlining its findings:
The results provide a strong basis for understanding where best to target support and resources for maximum impact, in order to better protect New Zealand, and to detect, disrupt and deter fraud and corruption. Work is underway to address the findings and provide options for future improvements.