Student Loans

robert mckenzie made this Official Information request to Inland Revenue Department

The request was refused by Inland Revenue Department.

From: robert mckenzie

Dear Inland Revenue Department,

How many times has a student loan debtor in Australia lost their primary home due to outstanding student loan debt being pursued in Australian courts and / or through bankruptcy lodged in NZ from Australia?

Yours faithfully,

robert mckenzie

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From: oia
Inland Revenue Department

[IN CONFIDENCE RELEASE EXTERNAL]

Good Afternoon,

Thank you for your request made under the Official Information Act 1982. We will respond to your request within 20 working days from the date of receipt.

Kind regards,

Government & Executive Services

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From: oia
Inland Revenue Department


Attachment Response McKenzie.pdf
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[UNCLASSIFIED]

Good afternoon

On behalf of Kaylynne Bell, Group Lead Customer & Compliance Services, please find attached the response to your Official Information Act request.

Kind regards
Government & Executive Services

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From: robert mckenzie

Dear IRD

I fail to see why this information is considered a tax secret.

I am not asking for details, only a number.

The IRD seems to only publish information that suits them and hides behind secrecy laws it doesn't suit them.

I will be making an official complaint to the Ombudsman.

Yours sincerely,

robert mckenzie

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From: oia
Inland Revenue Department

[UNCLASSIFIED]

Dear Mr McKenzie

Thank you for your email.

The secrecy requirements in section 81 of the Tax Administration Act 1994 require Inland Revenue to maintain the secrecy of all matters relating to the Revenue Acts. However, section 81(1B) provides an exception to the general secrecy rule. One of the factors to consider when releasing information under the section 81(1B) exception is the personal impact of communicating the information. This factor has substantial weight where the information is likely to identify a taxpayer or their tax affairs. All the factors of section 81(1B) are balanced to determine if the information can be released.

Releasing the number of times a student loan debtor in Australia lost their primary home due to an outstanding student loan being pursued in Australian courts or through a bankruptcy being lodged in New Zealand may identify a taxpayer and their tax affairs given the numbers in scope.

Upon balancing the factors in section 81(1B) the personal impact of the communication outweighed the other factors. As a result the information cannot be released under the section 81(1B) secrecy exception.

More information on the secrecy obligations and the section 81(1B) exception is available on the Inland Revenue website at: https://www.ird.govt.nz/technical-tax/st...

Kind regards
Government and Executive Services
This email and any attachment may contain confidential information. If you have received this email or any attachment in error, please delete the email / attachment, and notify the sender. Please do not copy, disclose or use the email, any attachment, or any information contained in them. Consider the environment before deciding to print: avoid printing if you can, or consider printing double-sided. Visit us online at ird.govt.nz

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Michael Rescue left an annotation ()

I would like to know how it would be at all possible to identify an individual tax payer by releasing a number of people who have lost their home in Australia for the afore mentioned reasons. This is quite obviously not possible. I will also be making a complaint to the ombudsman. Can the original requester please update their status of the existing ombudsman complaint?

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