The New Zealand
Taxpayers’ Union has welcomed the
Ministry of Social Development’s confirmation that wage
subsidy recipients will
face renewed scrutiny and potential
prosecution over their eligibility.
Union
spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “This is exactly what
we
called for in the wake of the Auditor-General’s
damning criticism of ‘verbal audits’ for wage subsidy
recipients. Taxpayers deserve to know that $14 billion was
paid to businesses who met the criteria to receive
it.”
“This action needs to be backed up with
stronger communication from the Beehive. We’d like to see
the Prime Minister stand up and send a clear message to
wrongful wage subsidy recipients: ‘If you took money for
which you weren’t eligible, expect to be found out. Cough
up now or face serious penalties’.”
“With $722
million already repaid, there is a good chance we’ll see
hundreds of millions more flood back once recipients know
that the Government is taking enforcement
seriously.”
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