Basketball Australia (BA) and Basketball New Zealand (BBNZ) have today announced a new shared services partnership that will see BA’s Integrity Unit support integrity, safeguarding and compliance matters across basketball in New Zealand.
The agreement reflects a shared commitment by both organisations to the highest standards of integrity, safety and ethical conduct, and recognises the value of collaboration across the Tasman to strengthen systems that protect participants and the game.
Under the partnership, BA Integrity will provide specialist support to BBNZ across key integrity areas, including child safeguarding, gambling and match-fixing prevention, integrity education, investigations, and integrity reporting and case management. The arrangement will also support ongoing policy development, education programs and engagement with relevant integrity agencies in New Zealand.
Basketball Australia CEO Matt Scriven said the partnership reflects the maturity of integrity systems within basketball and the importance of collective leadership.
“Integrity, safeguarding and trust sit at the heart of our sport. This partnership recognises that we are stronger when we work together, share expertise and invest in robust systems that protect everyone involved in basketball,” Scriven said.
“We are proud to support Basketball New Zealand by extending the capability of BA Integrity and contributing to a safer, more resilient basketball environment across our region.”
Basketball New Zealand Chief Executive Belinda Edwards said the agreement ensures BBNZ can continue to meet evolving integrity expectations while benefiting from specialist expertise and established systems.
“This partnership allows Basketball New Zealand to strengthen our integrity capability by working closely with an experienced and highly regarded integrity team,” Edwards said.
“It reinforces our commitment to safeguarding participants, upholding ethical standards and ensuring basketball remains a safe, fair and trusted sport at every level.”
The shared services arrangement includes ongoing integrity education, secure reporting and whistleblowing mechanisms, case management and trend analysis, as well as regular reporting to BBNZ leadership. It also enables close collaboration with relevant integrity bodies and stakeholders in New Zealand.
The agreement commences immediately and will operate over an initial five-year term, with regular review to ensure it continues to meet the needs of both organisations and the broader basketball community.
