Mark Mitchell: Police minister discusses the focus of new anti-corruption taskforce

The Police Minister is defending the focus of a new anti-corruption taskforce.

The Serious Fraud Office will aim to understand threats to the public sector.

The six-month pilot will be limited to six Government agencies -  Inland Revenue, ACC, Corrections, MSD, Land Information NZ, and Sport NZ. 

Mark Mitchell told Ryan Bridge that globally, some of the biggest recent corruption issues - relate to sporting codes. 

He wants to ensure there's best practice to maintains the country's low-corruption reputation. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Government wants to have a crack well I look under
the hood at corruption in the public service. The Serious
Fraud Office will lead a new anti Corruption Task Force
pilot taking place over the next six months. I R
d ACC, Ministry for Social Development some of the six
departments that will have to report back to the SFO
by September this year. Mark Mitchell, Police Minister with us

(00:20):
this afternoon. High Minister Hi.

Speaker 2 (00:22):
Ron Humble, apologies have been a bit late.

Speaker 1 (00:24):
Hey, not a problem. We cope without you, Minister, but
it's good. It's good, it's good. And Tolly, head of
Transparency International, now she says we need a proper fully funded,
fully resourced agency. You've gone for a quite targ limited pilot.
Why is that, Well, I just we wanted.

Speaker 2 (00:46):
To get something started straight away, and so that's why
we've announced today through the Serious the Serious Forward Officers
announced today the Anti Corruption Task Force Pilot. And I
just want to make it really clear that New Zealand
we still reminding what widely respected is one of the
least corrupt countries in the world. We should take pride
in that, but this initiative is about taking proactive action

(01:08):
to ensure that we keep it that way, So I
totally take on board and Tolly's comments. This government is
taking firm action and that's why we announce the task
force today.

Speaker 1 (01:17):
Why the sixth that you've packed, I mean, at what
risk is Land Information New Zealand and Sport New Zealand
of corruption.

Speaker 2 (01:25):
Well, Land Information New Zealand is the biggest owner of
land and property in the country. Sporting Z both outstanding agencies.
By the way, the same with Sporting Zen. I'm the
Minister for Sporting Z. But we'd be naive to believe
some of the biggest corruption issues that we've seen around
the world in the last decade involved sporting codes. So

(01:46):
I'm not saying that that's the issue that we're facing
those types of issues. We're clearly not. But we want
to make sure that we're proactive and we want to
make sure that we insulate ourselves and we do and
that we're going through best practice to ensure that those
risks that are identified around the world don't come landing
on our shores and that we maintain The top of
the index.

Speaker 1 (02:06):
Is customs in there no, because customs the you know
Casey Costello's group that she's got that looks at transnational crime.
That's one of the often mentioned agencies.

Speaker 2 (02:19):
It's a really good point. I'm glad you've raised that.
So yes, of course we've seen vulnerabilities in terms of
people that are high boganized crime and attempted infiltration into
the supply chains and baggage handlers and those types of issues.
Quite simply, Casey Costello is my Associate Minister of Police.
As you've pointed out, she's also got Customs. We are

(02:41):
very aware of the situations there and so they're using
internal measures to make sure they're monitoring that very carefully.
But look, once the pilot is as complete, then as
a government we'll be sitting back and looking at saying, right,
what is what are our next steps?

Speaker 1 (02:55):
But is it a bit weird to not include the
one agency you're most conned about.

Speaker 2 (03:01):
No, because we're aware of that and we're keenly aware
of it, have been since we've come into government, and
that's why cases been very proactive and making sure they
use internal controls and orders to make sure that they
are on top of that. I'm not saying that they
won't be excluded and they won't be included in the future,
but the moment we've got the CFL has got limited resource.

(03:22):
They're targeting, they're doing this within baselines.

Speaker 1 (03:26):
So it's a resourcing issue. It's the problems too big,
too big an apple to bite a hole out of
over at Customs.

Speaker 2 (03:35):
No, no, not at all. Like I said to you,
Customs is already using their own internal controls because we
are acutely aware that there have been issues with baggage
handlers and issues at the border, and so that Customs
and Minister Costello are already well and truly across that, folks.
This is obviously there's been some agencies and ministries that

(03:57):
have been selected to be part of this pilot, the
wide ranging from small ones to big ones. And you know,
we'll run the pilot, we'll see what the results are
and then we'll be out there in the government and
the Cabinet will be able to take decisions moving forward.

Speaker 1 (04:10):
All right, Minister, appreciate your trying this afternoon. Thank you
for being with me, Mac Mitchell, Police Minister. For more
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