IRD/Police Proposals Breach Taxpayers' Fundamental Rights

10 DECEMBER 2014

The Taxpayers’ Union shares the New Zealand Law Society’s concerns with proposed amendments to the Information-Sharing Agreement between Inland Revenue and the New Zealand Police which, according to the Society, limits taxpayers’ fundamental rights and undermines the integrity of the tax system. Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, says:

“These retrospective proposals are a fundamental departure from the longstanding position that tax information will be secret except for tax-related disclosure. We share the Law Society’s concerns that the proposals abandon over 130 years of taxpayer confidentiality and amount to an unreasonable search and seizure.”

“IRD’s job is to ensure that New Zealand has a world class revenue system that is trusted and secure. These proposals effectively allow Police to get the IRD to do investigatory work and undermine the independence and integrity of the revenue system. Even the Law Society is saying that the IRD’s approach to these issues is ‘disingenuous’."

The Law Society’s submission on the proposed amendments is available to download via the Society’s website.

ENDS

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