Our international work

Around the world Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) work together to strengthen public sector accountability, transparency, and good governance. The New Zealand Office of the Auditor-General (the Office) is an active member of the international SAIs community known as INTOSAI.

Our primary focus is on supporting Pacific SAIs through the Pacific regional organisation known as the Pacific Association of Supreme Audit Institutions (PASAI). We do this by supporting and promoting the transparent, accountable, effective and efficient use of public sector resources in the Pacific.

Where appropriate, we also contribute to, and participate in, other global activities of INTOSAI.

Work with PASAI

PASAI promotes transparent, accountable, effective, and efficient use of public sector resources in the Pacific. It contributes to that goal by helping its member SAIs improve the quality of public sector auditing in the Pacific to recognised high standards.

The Auditor-General of New Zealand holds the role of Secretary-General of PASAI. The Secretary-General is responsible to the PASAI Governing Board for PASAI’s operations and oversees the performance of the Chief Executive, in keeping with the requirements of the PASAI Charter.

Our focus is on supporting the PASAI Secretariat to function effectively and achieve the goals of the 2014-2024 Strategic Plan.

By supporting PASAI’s programmes, administration, and governance, we contribute to enhancing the effectiveness of the Secretariat to deliver quality programmes that meet Pacific SAI needs.

Auditor-General of Niue and Tokelau

The Auditor-General of New Zealand holds the role of Auditor-General of the Governments of Niue and Tokelau.

The International Team supports the Auditor-General and the Audit New Zealand appointed auditors to complete the audits of the Governments of Niue and Tokelau.

The International Team also supports other public organisations with work they might be doing to further improve systems and processes for governance and accountability in New Zealand’s Realm nations.

Partnerships with neighbours in the Pacific

The Office has a support arrangement with the SAIs of the Samoa Audit Office (SAI Samoa) and the Cook Islands Audit Office (SAI Cook Islands), which we call a “twinning partnership”.

Twinning partnerships enable strong relationships to be built so that SAIs work together to improve their systems and processes, and enhance their skills so that they perform their role more effectively. Twinning partnerships have mutual benefits for all involved.

Our work with PASAI and our twinning partnerships are made possible by funding from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

International relationships

Each year, we make a significant contribution to the international auditing community by taking part in capacity-building and development activities, attending and contributing to major events, sharing our expertise, and hosting international visitors and delegations.

We are active in a number of INTOSAI activity areas, such as the Task Force for INTOSAI Strategic Planning, the Capacity Building Committee initiatives, the INTOSAI Development Initiative, and the Supervisory Committee on Emerging Issues.

We also hold the role as Pacific regional co-ordinator on the Regional Organisation on Environmental Auditing and also as Pacific regional representative on the IntoSAINT (Integrity assessment tool) regional organisation.

Page last updated: 31 March 2023