The Government will strengthen foreign bribery laws to help enforce United Nations sanctions as part of its response to recommendations of the Cole Commission, Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said today.
The Government has accepted the Cole Report’s recommendations and in response will introduce legislation:
* requiring applicants for licences to import or export under United Nations sanctions to provide information to the Government; criminal penalties will apply for giving false or misleading information;
* creating a new offence for breaching UN sanctions;
* giving Government agencies the power to obtain evidence about suspected evasion of sanctions so they can be referred to law enforcement agencies;
* strengthening laws aimed at bribery of foreign officials; and
* making tax laws consistent with foreign bribery laws.
The penalty for a breach will be up to three times the value of the offending transaction and up to 10 years’ jail for individuals.
078/2007 - 3 May 2007 - Government Goes Further than Cole Report
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