Supporting the SFO in fighting serious fraud

Budget 2015 will provide an extra $8.1 million of operating funding over the next four years for the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), demonstrating the Government’s commitment to tackling serious fraud, SFO Minister Michael Woodhouse says.

“The work of the SFO is important to New Zealand’s economy because it protects New Zealand’s reputation as a safe place to invest and do business, which in turn contributes to growth in our economy,” Mr Woodhouse says.

“This new funding acknowledges the ever-present threat of serious financial crime and provides the SFO with the capacity to respond.

“It will enable the SFO to continue its fight against bribery and corruption, protecting New Zealand’s reputation and ensuring we meet our international obligations in this area.

“It will also support initiatives to deal with the growing use of technology in financial crime and cross-border offending, and enable the SFO to respond to international expectations.

“New Zealand enjoys a reputation as one of the least corrupt countries in the world, and maintaining this reputation is of immense value to our economy,” Mr Woodhouse says.

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