2005 media releases

Inland Revenue welcomes sentence for Hamilton PAYE offence
1 March 2005

Inland Revenue yesterday welcomed a community service sentence handed down in the Hamilton District Court to the owner of an engineering firm who failed to account for PAYE.

Stephen Norton was sentenced to 180 hours of community service. He had earlier pleaded guilty to five charges of failing to account for PAYE totaling $7,515.

The Court heard that Norton's engineering firm had had a poor record of PAYE compliance since at least December 1993, and that there had been numerous contacts by Inland Revenue to try to address the problems over the years.

"Under New Zealand law all employees have to pay tax, and it is one of an employer's responsibilities to make sure this happens. Not doing so is a serious breach of trust," said Service Centre Manager Kevin Moody.

"There are a range of options we can look at if a business is having genuine difficulty meeting its tax obligations. Prosecution is always a last resort. However, at the end of the day the law must be complied with - which is the same for all businesses."

"We hope that this sends a message to other businesspeople: PAYE is an important obligation which cannot be ignored. If you are having difficulty meeting your obligations, take it seriously and come and talk to us."

The Court heard that Norton had operated a structural engineering business through a partnership since 1988. Yesterday's sentencing relates to unpaid PAYE between December 2003 and April 2004.

People wishing to talk with Inland Revenue about their tax affairs can do so by phoning 0800 377 771 (business customers) or 0800 227 771 (personal customers), or by visiting their local office.

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
• 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
• Inland Revenue welcomes sentence in $40,000 evasion case

more media releases ›

Corporate Communications
Inland Revenue

For all media enquiries phone: 04 890 1698

For general communications enquiries
Phone: (04) 890 1936
Email: corpcomm@ird.govt.nz
Fax: (04) 498 5809

P O Box 2198
12-22 Hawkestone Street
Wellington
New Zealand

Date published: 02 Mar 2005

Back to top