2005 media releases
Inland Revenue welcomes sentence in $40,000 evasion case
12 January 2005
Inland Revenue has welcomed the sentencing of horticultural contractor Wendy Robyn Harrison, to 300 hours of community service, handed down by the Hastings District Court for evasion charges relating to approximately $40,000 in outstanding PAYE.
Inland Revenue Service Centre Manager Mike Hewetson says: "This is a great result for Inland Revenue but more importantly, for the community. When people evade taxes everyone loses - especially honest contractors who are unfairly undercut. This is not a victimless crime, and this sentencing reflects that."
Harrison had been in business as a horticultural contractor and was registered as an employer with Inland Revenue. She was required to pay Inland Revenue PAYE deductions from her employees' earnings during each month by the 20th of the following month.
An investigation by Inland Revenue uncovered that Harrison had been failing to do this.
In passing his sentence, Judge Adeane said that this level of fraud would usually warrant a period of imprisonment. However due to her personal circumstances, including having very young children, he had decided to impose a sentence of community service.
Inland Revenue continues to work closely with the horticultural industry to combat tax evasion through its Industry Partnership initiative, providing training, information, and advice.
"We're working alongside the industry, making it easier for people to meet their obligations and working together to tackle deliberate evasion. This levels the playing field for the majority of operators-who are honest," says Mr Hewetson.
People with any concerns about tax can contact Inland Revenue by phoning 0800 377 771 (business customers) or 0800 227 771 (personal customers).
Other media releases this year
- Tip-off leads to jail sentence for dishonest tax agent
- Family assistance payments to be available early
- Inland Revenue releases new tax rules for people who host boarders
- GST fraud gets jail sentence for Auckland property developer
- Inland Revenue seeks owners of forgotten money
- Family Assistance Payments to be made early
- High Wealth programme brings in millions of extra tax dollars
- Identity theft, fraud lead to jail for Palmerston North man
- Reimbursement for the use of a private motor vehicle
- Hamilton man sentenced on tax fraud
- Auckland consultant gets 12 months in jail for GST fraud
- Inland Revenue signs Hewlett Packard to supply Notebook Computers
- Tauranga man jailed for horticultural tax evasion
- New Zealand and Australian tax help for business
- Salary and wage earners: are you entitled to a tax refund?
- Some seasonal workers entitled to tax refunds
- Auckland barrister jailed for tax evasion
- Inland Revenue reminding Marlborough agriculturalists
- Inland Revenue Appoints Chief Information Officer (IT)
- Incident at Upper Hutt Processing Centre
- Forged GST claim leads to eight-month prison sentence
- Inland Revenue offers help to flood affected BOP businesses
- Auckland Man jailed for tax fraud
- Inland Revenue releases view on HHG capital reduction proposals
- Prison sentence for tax evasion
- Early Family Assistance Payments
- Nine years of tax evasion brings 18 month sentence for New Plymouth bricklayer
- Tax season now underway
- Are you eligible for a childcare rebate?
- Early Family Assistance Payments
- Inland Revenue signs agreement with TelstraClear
- Inland Revenue cautions against income splitting by professionals
- Inland Revenue welcomes sentence for Hamilton PAYE offence
- Cambridge students scoop national award for tax knowledge
- US, NZ agree on tax treatment of fiscally transparent entities
- 7 February payment deadline
- Theft of Westpac courier bag - advice to taxpayers and other Inland Revenue customers
- Inland Revenue not letting up on BoP tax evasion
- Inland Revenue outlines rebate claim process for tsunami donations
Corporate Affairs
Inland Revenue
To make a media query:
Phone 04 890 1698 or email mediaqueries@ird.govt.nz
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New Zealand
Date published: 13 Jan 2005
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