Latest news with #Waiuku
RNZ News
2 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Auckland man sentenced in NZ's first 'zapper' tech tax cheating conviction
Photo: 123RF An Auckland man has become the first person in New Zealand to be convicted and sentenced for using electronic equipment to underreport sales and dodge tax. Gurwinder Singh was sentenced in the Manukau District Court this week to seven months' home detention on tax evasion charges and for possessing electronic sales suppression tools (ESST) to evade the assessment and payment of tax. IRD said Singh, who runs a pizza outlet in Waiuku, admitted he was hiding income from his tax agent so that he did not have to pay so much tax. "Singh's offending was planned, calculated and required ongoing financial manipulation," it said in a statement. Singh also claimed only two staff were employed when there were four. The total amount of tax avoided was around $200,000, composed of approximately $79,000 in GST, $100,000 in income tax, and $21,000 in PAYE. ESST technology, also known as "phantomware" and "zappers," connects to point of sale systems to underreport sales and reduce taxable income. The IRD has previously warned of a crackdown and harsh penalties for possessing ESST technology, because it posed a threat to the integrity of the tax system. Buying, possessing, and using ESST technology was made a criminal offence in 2022, with fines ranging between $5,000 for buying and possession, to $250,000 for using it. IRD has received an extra $64 million in this year's budget to boost tax collection and drive tax compliance. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
3 days ago
- RNZ News
Mother Frances Latu-Vailea killed in Waiuku crash leaves behind three children including young baby
The crash site where three people died in a fatal accident on Masters Road, Waiuku. Photo: RNZ/Calvin Samuel A mother killed in a triple-fatal crash alongside her young daughter and niece has left behind three children including her eight-week-old baby. Frances Latu-Vailea, her five-year-old daughter Oneahi Vailea and seven-year-old niece Marly Tulua died when their car left Masters Road and crashed into a culvert in wetland on Tuesday afternoon. A Givealittle page set up for the families said the "devastating accident" had left Latu-Vailea's husband suddenly widowed and the sole caregiver for their three sons, aged eight weeks, two, and 12. "We are raising funds to support both grieving families during this unthinkable time," the page said. The page said the money would help give Latu-Vailea's husband time to grieve without the burden of immediate financial pressures such as the mortgage and household bills. It would also provide essential support as he "navigates caring for their young boys and processing such an unimaginable loss", it said. Donations would also help support Tulua's family who are "also mourning deeply while caring for their own young baby and facing the pain of losing Marly, Frances, and Oneahi". "No words can ease the pain, but your kindness and support can help lighten the heavy load these families are carrying right now," the Givealittle page said. "Any contribution, big or small, will make a difference." Latu-Vailea worked as a court registry officer, and the head of the Ministry of Justice said staff were devastated at the sudden death of their colleague. Chief executive Andrew Kibblewhite said Latu-Vailea was a court registry officer for the Family Court, primarily based at Pukekohe District Court. He said she worked in many locations including North Shore, Manukau and Papakura, and the tragedy would have a huge impact on many people. Kibblewhile said he and his staff offered their deepest condolences to Latu-Vailea's immediate and extended family. "We are all thinking of Frances' family, and our wider Auckland kaimahi, and offering our support during this very difficult time," he said. The crash site where three people died in a fatal accident on Masters Road, Waiuku. Photo: RNZ/Calvin Samuel The deaths have also sent shockwaves through the tight-knit Waiuku community. "It's pretty devastating actually. It's a small town, most people know someone who knows them if they don't know them themselves," local Jennie Tapp said. "The fact that it was a woman and two children, it just blows your mind." Another resident Inga Anja Noom said Masters Road had a bad reputation. "We all feel sick because usually in a small town like this everyone knows somebody and it's a horrible stretch of road and it's not the first and it probably won't be the last. But yeah, no, it's heartbreaking." Noom said it was particularly dangerous in wet weather. "It's quite narrow, it's windy in the start up to it and then it's just one long stretch with humps in the road and bridges and stuff," she said. "And with weather like this in wintertime, the creeks are completely full on either side, it's really bad." Locals say the narrow, bumpy road will continue causing accidents until speed limits are enforced . Masters Road falls on the border between Auckland and Waikato and was a concern for both regions' councillors. Waikato district councillor Peter Thomson said it was often used as a shortcut around the more tightly managed main road between Waiuku and Pukekohe. "I've heard that it's been used as a bypass to the Waiuku-Pukekohe road, so people can feel that they can travel faster on this road rather than the Pukekohe-Waiuku road, which has got a number of speed cameras on it and is only 80 [kilometres per hour]," he said. Andy Baker, the councillor for Auckland's Franklin Ward which contained Waiuku, said the road was narrow and bumpy. "This road is predominantly straight, it runs from both ends, it's basically a straight line but it's very undulating and from what I can see where the crash was, it's in a dip, and there's a lot of trees around," Baker said. Masters Road sign, the road where three people died in a fatal accident. Photo: RNZ/Marika Khabazi But Baker said it was too early to determine if the road was a factor in the fatal crash. "I think it's a little bit premature maybe to say the road's at fault here or there's an issue with the road," he said. "I know that some locals have been concerned about some things, whether they were contributing to the crash, we won't know until the Serious Crash Unit do their report and eventually it'll run through a coroner's court." Resident Noom said Masters Road still needed speed cameras like the main Waiuku-Pukekohe road. "Well if they're going to do it on one side, they'll probably have to do it the other, and everyone will hate me saying that but this is what's happening," she said. "We had a crash there two weeks ago, they walked away from that one. We had a death there last year and it won't be the last." She said the crashes would continue until motorists were given a reason to slow down.
RNZ News
4 days ago
- RNZ News
Waiuku locals call for speed limit enforcements after crash kills three
transport law about 1 hour ago Locals in the town of Waiuku are sounding the alarm over a narrow, bumpy road that claimed the lives of a woman and two children yesterday afternoon. Concerned residents have said Masters Road is too dangerous and will continue causing accidents until speed limits are enforced. A warning, this report by journalist Felix Walton contains distressing details.
RNZ News
4 days ago
- RNZ News
Waiuku locals call for speed limit enforcements
transport law 22 minutes ago Locals in the town of Waiuku are sounding the alarm over a narrow, bumpy road that claimed the lives of a woman and two children yesterday afternoon. Concerned residents have said Masters Road is too dangerous and will continue causing accidents until speed limits are enforced. A warning, this report by journalist Felix Walton contains distressing details.
RNZ News
4 days ago
- Automotive
- RNZ News
Mother, daughter and niece killed in Waiuku crash
Flowers at the site where a woman and two children died in Waiuku. Photo: RNZ/Calvin Samuel The three people who died in a car crash near Waiuku yesterday were a mother, her daughter and her niece. RNZ can now name the victims as Frances Latu-Vailea, her daughter Oneahi Vailea and niece Marly Tulua. They died when their car left Masters Road and crashed into a culvert in wetland on Tuesday afternoon, and the deaths have sent shockwaves through the tight-knit community. "It's pretty devastating actually. It's a small town, most people know someone who knows them if they don't know them themselves," local Jennie Tapp said. "The fact that it was a woman and two children, it just blows your mind." Another resident Inga Anja Noom said Masters Road had a bad reputation. "We all feel sick because usually in a small town like this everyone knows somebody and it's a horrible stretch of road and it's not the first and it probably won't be the last. But yeah, no, it's heartbreaking." The scene of the crash, on a road described by locals as "horrible". Photo: RNZ/Calvin Samuel Locals say the narrow, bumpy road will continue causing accidents until speed limits are enforced. Masters Road falls on the border between Auckland and Waikato and was a concern for both regions' councillors. Waikato district councillor Peter Thomson said it was often used as a shortcut around the more tightly managed main road between Waiuku and Pukekohe. "I've heard that it's been used as a bypass to the Waiuku-Pukekohe road, so people can feel that they can travel faster on this road rather than the Pukekohe-Waiuku road, which has got a number of speed cameras on it and is only 80 [kilometres per hour]," he said. Andy Baker - the councillor for Auckland's Franklin Ward which contained Waiuku - said the road was narrow and bumpy. "This road is predominantly straight, it runs from both ends, it's basically a straight line but it's very undulating and from what I can see where the crash was, it's in a dip, and there's a lot of trees around." Noom said it was particularly dangerous in wet weather. "It's quite narrow, it's windy in the start up to it and then it's just one long stretch with humps in the road and bridges and stuff," she said. "And with weather like this in wintertime, the creeks are completely full on either side, it's really bad." But Baker said it was too early to determine if the road was a factor in the fatal crash. "I think it's a little bit premature maybe to say the road's at fault here or there's an issue with the road," he said. "I know that some locals have been concerned about some things, whether they were contributing to the crash, we won't know until the Serious Crash Unit do their report and eventually it'll run through a coroner's court." Noom said Masters Road still needed speed cameras like the main Waiuku-Pukekohe road. "Well if they're going to do it on one side, they'll probably have to do it the other, and everyone will hate me saying that but this is what's happening," she said. "We had a crash there two weeks ago, they walked away from that one. We had a death there last year and it won't be the last." She said the crashes would continue until motorists were given a reason to slow down. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
