New Zealand's tax debt has hit $9.3b, prompting an IRD crackdown
Inland Revenue has sharply increased its enforcement activity, collecting $4.3 billion in overdue tax in the year to June – the highest total since 2018 – as total tax debt reached $9.3b. The department’s audit numbers rose 42% to 7641, with one in three targeting property transactions. An extra $35 million in Budget 2025 boosted the IRD's compliance funding, reinforcing the Government’s shift from pandemic-era leniency to debt recovery.
Problem areas: Baker Tilly Staples Rodway tax director Andrew Dickeson said Inland Revenue is scrutinising property sales, underpaid salaries and trust income splitting, alongside cash work and overseas companies operating in New Zealand. Its 2025 annual report shows 650 liquidation cases referred to court, up 49% year on year, signalling tougher consequences for unpaid tax. Dickeson said the IRD was typically good to deal with if people front-footed the tax issue they had and worked on making a payment plan.
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Poll: As a customer, what do you think about automation?
The Press investigates the growing reliance on your unpaid labour.
Automation (or the “unpaid shift”) is often described as efficient ... but it tends to benefit employers more than consumers.
We want to know: What do you think about automation?
Are you for, or against?
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9.5% For. Self-service is less frustrating and convenient.
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43.3% I want to be able to choose.
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47.2% Against. I want to deal with people.
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If a zookeeper had 100 pairs of animals in her zoo, and two pairs of babies are born for each one of the original animals, then (sadly) 23 animals don’t survive, how many animals do you have left in total?
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