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New Zealand compared to the world

Our involvement in the Open Government Partnership is one way we work to improve participation, transparency and accountability in New Zealand. We also monitor and report on international measures that rank New Zealand on a range of relevant indicators, providing comparisons with other countries.

New Zealand monitors these key indicators:

Corruption Perceptions Index - 2nd 

In the Corruption Perceptions Index 2018, released by Transparency International, New Zealand ranked as the second least corrupt country, after Denmark, when compared to 179 other countries worldwide. The measure is taken from eight indexes and provides New Zealand with an overall score. 

View the Corruption Perceptions Index 2018

Freedom in the World - 6th equal

In the 2018 Freedom in the World report, released by Freedom House, New Zealand ranked sixth equal alongside Australia, Luxemberg and Uruguay. The report assesses the condition of political rights and civil liberties across 195 countries and 14 territories.

View the 2018 Freedom in the World report

Open Budget Index - 1st equal

In the 2017 Open Budget Index, released by the International Budget Partnership, New Zealand ranked first equal, alongside South Africa, when compared to 101 other countries. The Open Budget Index is the world’s only independent, comparative measure of central government budget transparency.

View the 2017 Open Budget Index

Civil Service Effectiveness Survey - 2nd

In the 2017 Civil Service Effectiveness Survey, released by the University of Oxford, New Zealand ranked second when compared to 31 other countries. The index draws together a wealth of existing data to provide a concise assessment of how a country’s central government civil service is performing compared with others around the world. 

View the 2017 Civil Service Effectiveness Survey

Open Data Barometer - 7th

In the 2016 Open Data Barometer, released by the World Wide Web Foundation, New Zealand ranked seventh when compared to 115 other countries. The barometer is a global measure of how governments are publishing and using open data for accountability, innovation and social impact.

View the 2016 Open Data Barometer report