Who we are

Our story

Corruption is one of the world’s greatest challenges. It undermines good government, distorts public policy, frustrates private sector opportunities and leads to waste, mismanagement and exploitation. It is often the poorest and most vulnerable people in our community who suffer the most. Corruption is not gender neutral, it impacts women and girls in different and sometimes more dangerous ways.

By tackling corruption we tackle the barriers to fair and sustainable development and we address the root causes of so many of the social and environmental injustices that challenge the world today. 

But we can only tackle corruption by working together.

Transparency International Australia (TIA) is part of a global coalition against corruption. Together, we strive to promote transparency, integrity and accountability at all levels and across all sectors of society. We work with partners in government, business and civil society to close the loopholes that allow corruption to thrive, and create a fairer system for all.

We work closely with the Open Government Partnership Australia and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. We are members of Publish What You Pay and the Australian Corporate Accountability Network, an Affiliate Member of the Australian Council for International Development, and an Associate Member of the Whistleblowing International Network.

Serena Lillywhite - Transparency International Australia

Our mission

Our Mission is to stop corruption and promote transparency, accountability and integrity at all levels and across all sectors of society.

We share our mission with our Transparency International partners in over 100 countries around the world. Each chapter is independent and unique, and together we aspire to a unified vision: a world in which government, politics, business, civil society and the daily lives of people are free of corruption.

Our guiding principles

Our guiding principles guide and unite us across the world:
  • As coalition-builders, we will work cooperatively with all individuals and groups, with for-profit and not-for-profit corporations and organisations, and with governments and international bodies committed to the fight against corruption, subject only to the policies and priorities set by our governing bodies.
  • We undertake to be open, honest and accountable in our relationships with everyone we work with, and with each other.
  • We will be democratic, politically non-partisan and non-sectarian in our work.
  • We will condemn bribery and corruption vigorously wherever it has been reliably identified.
  • The positions we take will be based on sound, objective and professional analysis and high standards of research.
  • We will only accept funding that does not compromise our ability to address issues freely, thoroughly and objectively.
  • We will provide accurate and timely reports of our activities to our stakeholders.
  • We will respect and encourage respect for fundamental human rights and freedom.
  • We are committed to building, working with and working through Chapters worldwide.
  • We will strive for balanced and diverse representation on our governing bodies.
  • As one global movement, we stand in solidarity with each other and we will not act in ways that may adversely affect other Chapters or the TI movement as a whole.

our history

Transparency International (TI) was born out the growing realisation in the 1980s-90s that corruption was directly undermining efforts to fight poverty in the world’s poorest countries, and that government officials were personally benefiting from investment decisions.

Since it was established in 1993 by a small group of committed individuals, it has grown to become a powerful global movement. There are now more than 100 local organisations (national chapters) that are part of this coalition against corruption.

Transparency International Australia was launched in March 1995 to raise awareness of corruption in Australia and initiate moves to combat it. Until 2016 TIA was run entirely by the voluntary efforts of our Board of Directors, all expert anti-corruption advocates in their own right. 

Since then TIA has expanded with new roles, new staff and new funding, working to fight against corruption in Australia and ensure Australian public and private sector institutions alike demonstrate transparency, accountability and integrity.