ACT Finance spokesman Rodney Hide said that it was good news for taxpayers that his private member’s bill had today won the ballot and would be debated by Parliament.

“The Willis’s case showed just what taxpayers can be up against with the IRD. My Bill is designed to give taxpayers better access to their own tax files as recommended by the Ombudsmen’s Own Motion Inquiry into the IRD’s holding and use of information.

“One of the great problems that taxpayers confront is that IRD will block access to their own file, citing the secrecy provisions of the various Tax Acts. This means that taxpayers don’t know why they are being hounded and don’t have the opportunity to correct wrong information held on them.

“Taxpayers should be entitled to know what allegations have been made against them so that they can defend themselves.

“My Bill is a step in the right direction to giving taxpayers the rights that free citizens should enjoy. I do not believe that the state should keep secret information on anyone – especially law-abiding taxpayers,” concluded Rodney Hide.

ENDS

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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