The Taxpayers’ Union is calling for law changes requiring more transparency from taxpayer funded agencies after today’s report in the NZ Herald of the taxpayer-funded Pacific Island Forum not reporting a staff member to police who had admitted misappropriating more than $60,000 of public money.

Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, says:

“This isn’t the first time the current government has had to answer awkward questions about fraud in taxpayer funded NGOs. It is likely the media only scratches the surface of the wedding dresses, international travel and similar frauds on taxpayer funded credit cards in NGOs."

“The Government should extend the Official Information Act to taxpayer funded not-for-profits rather than continue to allow them to shun transparency. If a group relies on taxpayer money it should be required to be transparent and accountable under freedom of information laws."