A renewed challenge on the Winebox affair has opened in the High Court at Auckland today.
Lawyers acting for New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters, are calling for the Court to overturn the findings of the
Commission of Inquiry into the Winebox Tax evasion/avoidance allegations.
Mr Peters was initially refused after a High Court judgement ruled that Inquiry head, Sir Ronald Davison’s findings
could not be challenged. This ruling was overturned by the Court of Appeal in November 1998.
Much of the evidence before the Court will centre on the Magnum transactions, which it is alleged detail Tax Credit
deals between European Pacific, a New Zealand listed company, and the Cook Islands government. The Magnum transactions
it is alleged add up to tax evasion denying New Zealand Revenue around $2 million in lost tax revenue.