SPCS

SOCIETY FOR PROMOTION OF COMMUNITY STANDARDS INC.

Anti-crime bill passes first reading and is sent on to select committee

by Leave a Comment

A NEW law to combat organised crime and corruption has passed its first hurdle in Parliament.

The Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Legislation Bill passed its first reading yesterday with unanimous support.

Justice Minister Amy Adams, who introduced the bill, said it would respond to threats posed by money laundering, fraud and drug-related crime.

“Unfortunately, New Zealand is not immune to the threat posed by both international and domestic criminal networks, which operate on many fronts,” Adams said.

“Criminals use money laundering to disguise their criminal activities and to profit from crime.”

Other targeted criminal activities include identity theft, people trafficking and range of acts considered to be bribery and corruption.

The bill has been referred to the law and order select committee for consideration. [Read more…]

Government unveils new anti-corruption law changes

by Leave a Comment

Justice Minister Judith Collins has unveiled a range of law changes to crack down on corruption, organised crime and bribery in New Zealand.

The minister tabled the Organised Crime and Anti-corruption Legislation Bill in Parliament this afternoon.

It includes requirements for banks to report international transactions, new identity theft offences, and harsher penalties for private sector bribery and corruption offences.

Mrs Collins said the changes would give law enforcement agencies more power to deal with organised crime and corruption, and would help New Zealand fulfil its international obligations.

“New Zealand is consistently regarded as one of the least corrupt countries in the world. However we cannot afford to be complacent — we must remain vigilant,” she said.

If the bill passed into law, banks and financial institutions would have to help Government detect money-laundering by reporting all international wire transfers of more than $1000 and all physical cash transactions of more than $10,000 to the police’s Financial Intelligence Unit. [Read more…]

Scandals tarnish NZ’s corrupt-free image

by Leave a Comment

Scandals in sport, politics and business beg the question: is New Zealand complacent about corruption? Nick Perry of the Associated Press reports.

If any country has a squeaky-clean image, it is New Zealand. It’s a place where police officers won’t even accept freebies from burger joints. It’s been ranked the world’s least corrupt nation for eight years straight by the watchdog group Transparency International.

Recent scandals in business, politics and sports, however, may put that reputation under threat. Some observers say the South Pacific nation’s sterling record for fairness may have made it complacent and less watchful for shady behaviour.

See full story by Nick Perry. Published 29 May 2014.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/10096613/Scandals-tarnish-NZs-corrupt-free-image

Note:

The Society for Promotion of Community Standards Inc. (“SPCS”) has been approved bronze level membership status in Transparency International (New Zealand) Inc. (TINZ) – the recognised New Zealand representative of Transparency International, the global civil society organisation against corruption. SPCS was approved “bronze level”, along with other new members (including the Earthquake Commission), at the TINZ Annual General Meeting held at Archives New Zealand on the 19th of November, 2013. Like SPCS, TINZ, is a registered charity (Charity No. CC2305) which was registered on 30 June 2008.

See:  https://www.spcs.org.nz/spcs-approved-as-member-of-transparency-international-new-zealand/

Also see SPCS Consitution (available www.charities.govt.nz  – Charity No. CC20268)

S. 2 (d) of Constitution states: “To focus attention on the harmful nature and consequences of sexual promiscuity, obscenity, pornography, violence, fraud, dishonesty in business, expoitation, abuse of alcohol and drugs, and other forms of moral corruption.”

Serious Fraud Office’s crime blind spot highlighted in SSC Review

by Leave a Comment

The Serious Fraud Office does not have the ability to proactively target serious financial crime, and preventing this offending is probably better done by other agencies, says a Government-commissioned review.

When SFO director Julie Read took up her post last year she told the Herald the agency would like to be a “bit more proactive”.

Asked if the SFO’s more reactive approach would change, Read said this would be partly answered by a State Services Commission review, which was issued this week.

The report says the justice sector is focusing more on crime prevention.

But lead reviewer Debbie Francis said that while better access to intelligence could support earlier detection of financial crime, preventive activity was not supported by the SFO’s statutory mandate and was “probably better done by others”.

Francis said the SFO did not have the ability to develop a current, medium or long-term view of possible threats, and this was required to “proactively target high priority serious financial crime and corruption”.

The strongest “preventive element” of the SFO’s activity was the deterrent effect of its investigations and successful prosecutions.

Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11262890 [Read more…]

Transparency International (NZ) past director – Michael Vukcevic – “a CV fraudster”

by Leave a Comment

High-level businessman’s CV false (Story by Phil Kitchin – Dominion Post 25/02/14)

The chairman of an influential business council with close links to the Government’s bid for a Middle East free trade agreement is a CV fraudster.

Fairfax NZ can reveal that Michael Vukcevic – head of the Auckland-based Middle East Business Council – falsely claimed to have a law degree from Victoria University.

Mr Vukcevic was also a director of anti-corruption agency Transparency International when he lied in his successful bid for the top New Zealand job at multinational law and patent firm, Baldwins.

The fraud will embarrass the firm, which was last year a finalist in the New Zealand Law Awards for a second year in a row.

It will also embarrass the Government because of the ties between the council and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and NZ Trade and Enterprise.

As chair of the Middle East council, Mr Vukcevic rubs shoulders with powerful figures from MFAT – including Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully.

Mr Vukcevic used the fictitious degree to become chief executive at Baldwins in 2012.

He resigned in November last year citing “personal reasons”.

Victoria University has confirmed Mr Vukcevic’s only qualification from Victoria was a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Mr Vukcevic has not responded to multiple approaches asking for an explanation.

His seven-page CV also includes a claim he was a director for a recruitment firm. That claim is also false.

When he was at Baldwins the company’s website claimed Mr Vukcevic was a “Registered Patent Attorney” in Australia and New Zealand but he does not appear on the registers for either country.

He also claimed to be a barrister and solicitor in New Zealand but he is not registered as either with the Law Society.

Mr Vukcevic’s CV describes him as a “dynamic Chief Executive with a proven track record of success.”

It says his experience is across large public and corporate companies, private companies and Government.

Under the education, the CV claims Mr Vukcevic obtained a law degree and a BA from studying at Victoria from 1989 to 1992.

See full story:  http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/9762437/High-level-businessmans-CV-false.

Note:

1. The New Zealand Middle East Business Council website’s “Governance” listings describes Michael Vukcevic as:

 “current chairman of the New Zealand Middle East Business Council, and a past director of Transparency International (NZ).” [Suzanne Snively ONZM is currently Executive Chair of TINZ.
See: http://www.nzmebc.org.nz/about/governance/
2. TI(NZ) is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to promote transparency, accountability and integrity in Government and civil society.
3.  Mr Vukcevic has not been investigated by police in relation to his actions and has not been charged with any crime.Dishonestly taking or using a document with “intent to obtain any property, service, pecuniary advantage, or valuableconsideration”is an offence under section 228 of the Crimes Act.
see http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/293029/ceo-steps-down-after-fake-degree-revealed
Also see:
CEO [Michael Vukcevic] steps down after fake degree exposed. 25/02/14
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11209767
UPDATE: 26/02/14
CV Fraudster comes clean
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9767240/CV-fraudster-comes-clean