Global leadership in combating corruption
We lead Australia's active engagement in a range of regional and international forums and initiatives. These include the:
- United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) (ratified by Australia on 7 December 2005)
- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions (OECD Anti-Bribery Convention) (ratified by Australia on 18 October 1999)
- G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group
- Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Anti-Corruption and Transparency Experts Working Group
- Asian Development Bank OECD Anti-Corruption Initiative for the Asia Pacific
United Nations Convention Against Corruption
The United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) is the first binding global instrument that deals with corruption.
Every 5 years or so, states that are parties to UNCAC must undergo a review of their implementation of key chapters of the convention.
Read a summary of Australia’s review processes.
Australia’s implementation of Chapters II (Preventative Measures) and IV (Asset Recovery) was reviewed in 2018.
Read the executive summary of the report on Australia’s implementation of Chapters II and IV of the UNCAC.
Australia's implementation of Chapters III (Criminalisation & Law Enforcement) and IV (International Cooperation) of the UNCAC was reviewed in 2012. Australia was found to have effectively implemented these chapters.
Read the executive summary of the report on Australia's implementation of Chapters III and IV of the UNCAC .
OECD Anti-Bribery Convention
Find out more about the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention on our foreign bribery page.
G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group
G20 Leaders established the G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group (ACWG) at the Toronto Summit in 2010.
The G20 ACWG implements the G20 Anti-Corruption Action Plan and reports to G20 leaders. It is working to achieve the goals of the current G20 Anti-Corruption 2019–2021 Action Plan.
The ACWG works collaboratively with other international organisations. These include the:
- OECD
- UN
- World Bank Group
- International Monetary Fund
- Financial Action Task Force
- Asian Development Bank.
The ACWG also collaborates with G20-associated engagement groups that represent civil society, business and labour leaders, the research community and women.
Each year, the G20 ACWG conducts accountability assessments and develops sets of high-level principles that correspond with the priorities in the group’s action plan, to set standards for integrity across different areas.
In 2014, Australia co-chaired the G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group as part of Australia's G20 presidency.
Under Australia's leadership, the group developed a set of high-level principles on beneficial ownership transparency. G20 leaders endorsed the principles at the Leaders' Summit in Brisbane in 2014.