Survey of Auckland tradespeople shows an Inland Revenue campaign highlighting cash jobs has hit home, with four in five believing they’ll get caught if they cheat on their taxes.
The survey of nearly 420 tradies followed an advertising campaign in Auckland during April and May, with the message that tradespeople need to declare all their income, including cash, “or risk everything”.
Inland Revenue said the results show that the message that doing under-the-table jobs is a tax crime is getting through.
There was a high level of awareness of the campaign, with nearly two-thirds of tradies recalling it and more than half considering it was relevant to all tradespeople.
That shows tradespeople do realise Inland Revenue will take action if it finds out they’re not declaring all their income.
While the majority of tradespeople do the right thing by paying their taxes, there’s a minority who are cheating the system and ripping off taxpayers.
The survey also found that in the Auckland region, there’s anecdotal evidence that up to a quarter of building and construction involves under the table work. What’s encouraging, though, is that tradies are talking about their tax obligations with their mates in the industry and with their customers. And most are saying it’s no longer okay to do work for cash and not declaring it.
Although Inland Revenue had identified the building and construction industry as being a high risk for tax evasion, all levels of tax evasion from any industry are treated very seriously.