Tamihere issues unresolved

The White Report into John Tamihere is out, but what is interesting is what it does not answer.

As expected it said the Trust was responsible of rpaying tax on his $300,000+ goldenh handshake, anbd also on an earlier $22,000 bonus in 1998. For the earlier bonus, the then CEO was of course Mr Tamihere who had overall responsibility for making sure the Trust complied with the law

Mr White noted that Tamihere never declared the payouts to the taxman, but said it was up to Inland Revenue to decide whether this is a problem. Now what we don’t know is whether he simply did not file a tax return for the year (which possibly he was not required to do) or if he did file a tax return and did not include the payments, which would be a serious offence. Did White ask him which situation it was, and what was the answer? Did he get the IRD to confirm whether a tax return was filed or not?

The report also said Tamihere broke regulations by not declaring on the ministerial register that he received a car from Westland.

Labour is spinning all allegations have been dealt with, but it is not at all that clear cut.