2007 media releases
Inland Revenue offers Language Line
6 August 2007
Inland Revenue is offering Language Line, a free interpretation service featuring 39 languages, to customers whose first language is not English.
Managed by the Office of Ethnic Affairs, the service is available to customers dealing with Inland Revenue over the phone or in person.
"Language Line will help Inland Revenue better meet customer needs as New Zealand becomes more diverse and increasingly multilingual," said Revenue Minister Peter Dunne.
"This service will be invaluable in helping customers, whose preferred language is not English, to take up their entitlements and meet their tax obligations," he said.
The Minister for Ethnic Affairs, Hon Chris Carter, said: "Language Line means increased equity of access to information. It is a pleasure to welcome all branches of Inland Revenue. The service has already completed over 85,000 calls since it began in 2003, and people know they can rely on it."
Customers just need to call or visit Inland Revenue as they normally would, ask for Language Line, and an interpreter will usually be on the phone within a couple of minutes.
Language Line has already proven popular with Inland Revenue's Child Support customers who have been using it since 2005.
Ends
For more information contact:
Adrienne Perry
Senior Media Advisor
Inland Revenue
04 890 1698, 029 890 1698
adrienne.perry@ird.govt.nz
Colin Feslier
Manager Communications
Department of Internal Affairs
04 495 9460
colin.feslier@dia.govt.nz
Other media releases this year
- Draft guidelines released for new R&D tax credit
- Man extradited from Australia to face tax charges
- Working for Families Tax Credits to be made early
- Inland Revenue alerts tax professionals
- 'Money man' behind major tax scam jailed
- Third conviction in Rawleigh tax evasion case
- Samoan chief receives two years' home detention
- Early working for families tax credits scheduled
- Cash businesses are in the spotlight
- Inland Revenue transfers first KiwiSaver funds to scheme providers
- Late filers advised to contact Inland Revenue
- Wellington Inland Revenue staff to centralise
- Christchurch businessman fined $20,000 on tax charges
- Hamilton JP jailed for two years for $1.1 million tax evasion
- Businessman pleads guilty to $1.3 million in tax charges
- Jail term extended for Tauranga tax evader
- Inland Revenue wins prestigious IT award
- Inland Revenue simplifies tax with Business Is Booming
- Inland Revenue reassures people affected by weather
- Customers urged to contact Inland Revenue
- Inland Revenue issues GST statement on unconditional property sale agreements
- KiwiSaver information readily available from Inland Revenue
- Scott Anderson bankrupted for unpaid debt of $13 million
- Inland Revenue welcomes 'Trinity' court ruling
- Christchurch tourism operators' concern leads to community service for tax evader
- Inland Revenue welcomes prison sentence for GST fraud
- Levin man sent to jail over $45,000 in GST fraud
- Businessman who "undercut the opposition" jailed for tax fraud
- Accountant's low profits prompted tax audit
- "Not a lot" of effort to pay taxes results in jail term for tax evasion
- Tiler in court for keeping staff tax payments
- Northland flood victims should call if having problems with tax payments
- Tax agent fined $10,000 for refusing to cooperate with Inland Revenue
- Early Working for Families Tax Credits payments
- Nelson man in court for not passing on employees' tax payments
- Tax season underway
- Businesses foolish to try to suppress details of income
- Dairy owner in court for cheating on taxes over seven years
- Two years' prison for 146 tax offences
- Refusing to cooperate with Inland Revenue lands couple in court
- Prison sentence upholds integrity of tax system, says Inland Revenue
- Early family assistance payments
- Tax payments due on 7 February
Corporate Affairs
Inland Revenue
To make a media query:
Phone 04 890 1698 or email mediaqueries@ird.govt.nz
Please note, the email address is only for enquiries from the news media. It is monitored during normal business hours 8am - 5pm Monday to Friday.
P O Box 2198
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
Date published: 08 Aug 2007
Back to top