Welcome to our March Update
A note from our Steering Committee
The Bribery Prevention Network welcomes you to our first Bulletin of 2026 as we continue our mission to support Australian businesses in preventing and addressing Bribery.
The year began with a significant global update as Transparency International released the latest Corruption Perceptions Index. Australia’s score of 76/100, which ranks us 12th globally, highlights a period of stagnation and serves as a reminder that our commitment to integrity must remain proactive.
The BPN recently hosted a webinar exploring the “Indicators of Foreign Bribery” guidance released in January by the International Foreign Bribery Taskforce. This session offered Australian businesses a roadmap for identifying the red flags and case studies from the AFP and SFO, NZ.
These developments come at a critical juncture, as April 2026 marks 18 months since the commencement of the Crimes Legislation Amendment (Combatting Foreign Bribery) Act 2024. With the failure to prevent corporate offence now in place, and a legislative review scheduled for this year, the BPN will be looking towards how we can continue to support the Australian business community.
Finally, we are honored to officially welcome the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to the Bribery Prevention Network Impact Committee. This partnership follows international endorsement by National Anti-Corruption Commissioner, the Hon Paul Brereton AM RFD SC. Speaking at the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (COSP11) in Doha on 18 December 2025, the Commissioner cited the establishment of the BPN as a example of a public-private partnership that effectively supports businesses in promoting a culture of compliance. As the NACC joins our Impact Committee, we look forward to integrating their expertise into our resources, further strengthening the bridge between regulatory oversight and corporate integrity.
We look forward to engaging with you throughout the year.
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The International Foreign Bribery Taskforce (IFBT) has published a new guidance document: Indicators of Foreign Bribery, summarising some key indicators associated with foreign bribery. The indicators have been collated based on the collective experiences of IFBT members.
The document is designed to assist persons working in high-risk sectors, as well as the broader public, to recognise possible instances of foreign bribery and report these concerns accordingly.
The Bribery Prevention Network hosted IFBT representatives, Australian Federal Police and Serious Fraud Office, New Zealand, in a webinar exploring the indicators and how they inform enforcement action.
Download the webinar slides to re-visit case studies shared by the Australian Federal Police and Serious Fraud Office, New Zealand.
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The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) have launched a new guide, Government Business Enterprises: What the NACC means for you.
Government business enterprises (GBEs) are Corporate Commonwealth Entities or Commonwealth companies that are commercially-focused government owned businesses established to fulfil a Commonwealth Government purpose. They are subject to the NACC’s jurisdiction.
GBEs may face corruption risks and vulnerabilities due to their position at the public–private interface, their close relationships with industry, the size of their projects and their complex governance structures. Key risk areas in which corrupt conduct may occur within GBEs include procurement and contracting. It may be in the form of bribery, including secret commissions.
The guide will help GBE directors, officers, employees, contractors, consultants and advisers identify and prevent corruption risks and vulnerabilities, and understand when and how to refer suspected corrupt conduct to the NACC.
Find out more and read the guide here.
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“Operation Myrtleford was an investigation into the 6 persons referred by the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme.”
“The Commission concluded that 2 of the referred persons, Mr Mark Withnell and Ms Serena Wilson, engaged in corrupt conduct of a serious nature within the meaning of section 8(1)(a) and/or section 8(1)(b) of the NACC Act, but that the remaining 4 referred persons did not engage in corrupt conduct within the meaning of the NACC Act.”
Find out more such as the Investigation Report and Executive Summary by the NACC here.
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Transparency International’s annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) report for 2025 has been released, with Australia moving from 10th to 12th in rankings, with a score of 76 points on the 100-point scale.
The 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) measures perceived levels of public-sector corruption in 182 countries and territories, drawing on 13 independent data sources and using a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).
This year, the global CPI average has dropped for the first time in more than a decade to just 42 out of 100.
Find out more and read the report here.
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An Australian man was convicted and fined $1000 by the Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday 29 January 2026 for providing false or misleading information to the directors of a multinational publicly listed company, Leighton Holdings Limited.
At the time of the offending the man was the chief operating officer of Leighton Holdings Limited. In that capacity, he provided misleading information to the board of directors in relation to a multimillion-dollar infrastructure project in Iraq.
In particular, the man provided a cost summary on the project on two separate occasions which failed to accurately allocate $45,000,000 in costs.
Find out more and read the media release here.
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Register now for the 2026 Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference (APSACC), hosted by the National Anti-Corruption Commission.
The theme for APSACC 2026 is: A strategic approach to integrity – culture, systems and accountability, and offers an opportunity for anti-corruption agencies, academics and practitioners to share their knowledge, experience and expertise.
The Bribery Prevention Network is excited to be hosting a panel: integrity at the public and private interface, on Tuesday 8 September.
For program and registration details, visit the APSACC website here.
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The OECD Global Anti-Corruption & Integrity Forum is right around the corner. Register online to hear innovative approaches from across the public and private sectors that demonstrate how fighting corruption can unlock economic efficiency.
Dan Wilcock, Head of Sustainability Governance at the UN Global Compact Network Australia, and host of the Bribery Prevention Network, will speak at the side event “Making Collective Action Work: From Set-Up to Implementation,” focusing on how companies and governments can move from integrity commitments to practical, impactful collective action initiatives.
Find out more and secure your spot here.
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The Bribery Prevention Network is a public-private partnership that brings together business, civil society, academia and government with the shared goal of supporting Australian business to prevent, detect and address bribery and corruption and promote a culture of compliance. Read more here.
This newsletter is created for the anti-bribery community, by the anti-bribery community. Do you have news or stories to contribute to our next edition? Contact us at [email protected]
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