An Upper Hut resident who defrauded the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) for NZD 41 000 by using a system fake church donations has been sentenced to seven months home detention and 120 hours of community service. James Talaga Toala, received sentencing at the Wellington District Court on February 26th, after pleading guilty to six charges of using documents to defraud or receive monetary gain. It was alleged by the IRD that in the period between April 2002 and March 2008 James Toala ... Read More

The upcoming Double Taxation Agreement (DTA) between New Zealand and Australia has taken one step towards to coming into effect after a Governmental signing of an Order of Council for the document. The New Zealand Government has begun to incorporate the DTA into the country's law system through a signing of an Order in Council on February 17th, according to Peter Dunne, New Zealand Revenue Minister. Once the legal incorporation is complete for both nations the DTA will come into full effect. Australia ... Read More

The New Zealand Inland Revenue Department (IRD) will be in the Court of Appeals this week in an effort to overturn a landmark court decision, which found tax evasion allegations against two medical professionals refuted. In a court action that will be closely monitored by both the medical profession and other high-cost professionals the IRD is seeking to claim that two Christchurch based orthopedic surgeons were using company and trust structures to pay themselves less than the typical rate for their profession. The ... Read More