Australia: third least likely to pay bribes

Australian companies rank third least likely of countries to pay bribes according to Transparency International's 2006 Bribe Payers' Index.

The BPI looks at the propensity of companies from 30 leading exporting countries to bribe abroad. Companies from the wealthiest countries generally rank in the top half of the Index, but still routinely pay bribes, particularly in developing economies. Companies from emerging export powers India, China and Russia rank among the worst. In the case of China and other emerging export powers, efforts to strengthen domestic anti-corruption activities have failed to extend abroad.

However in 2002, Australia was rated the least likely nation to be involved in corrupt business practices. No doubt the latest results were influenced by the AWB inquiry which has exposed information not previously available.

Coincidentally it has been reported that the ATO are requesting Australian companies to disclose in their tax returns "facilitation payments" made overseas.