Tax loophole closed

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33774, 21 February 1975, Page 12

Tax loophole closed

The Inland Revenue Department has acted quickly to close the security gap which enabled two men to swindle the department of $3400. The department set about dealing with the tax rebate loophole as soon as it was alerted to the activities of the two men. who were sent to gaol yesterday. The southern regional controller of taxes (Mr R. H. Whiteside) said yesterday that anyone trying to claim unjustified tax rebates using false names, as the convicted men had done, would find it very difficult to get any money.

e He said two senior officers 1 jof the department had: e already been round branch ' offices to alert staff dealing: with refunds to the sort ofj ; O things to watch for and the:' t questions and checks to! ■make. 1 Mr Whiteside said the I. it earlier chances of people e taking the department for a , s ride on rebates were only:, 'f slightly better than they! ‘t were now. That two men had . got away with it was a re-j' i- flection more of the audacity' 1. of their conduct than on the! y vigilance of those they had', n cheated. g The behind-the-scenes ( d checking of claims for re-i! it funds on demand will prevent ! y any repetition of what had ■! (recently happened.