ABSTRACT
The problem of confl ict of interest arises when private or sectional interests are (or may be) pursued ahead of the public interest. Confl ict of interest represents a failure of public sector accountability because it undercuts the duty of impartiality that is incumbent on all public offi cers1 and counteracts the pursuit of the public interest. Acting in the public interest encompasses obligations in regard to administration, ethics, and performance, in accordance with recognised public sector principles and values that include the need for public offi cials and public institutions to consistently demonstrate integrity and trustworthiness. Across the world, confl ict of interest is recognised to have contributed to a general decline in perceived standards of conduct in public offi ce, undermining public trust in government and the integrity of democratic systems more broadly (Pope 2000; Stark 2000; Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development 2003, 2006; Cepeda Ulloa 2004; Raile 2004; Asian Development Bank and Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development 2006; Young 2006; The Ombudsman 2008).
