Why are those less advantaged in New Zealand society treated differently from those who are in relatively privileged positions? Why are white-collar tax evaders treated differently to welfare fraudsters? This talk will consider circumstances where this occurs, aiming to highlight and challenge issues of equity, privilege, and the construction of crime and criminals in New Zealand.

The presentation will cover:

• Investigation, prosecution and sentencing of tax evaders and welfare fraudsters;
• The sentencing of serious white-collar financial crime;
• The individual treatment of taxpayers and the collective treatment of welfare recipients;
• Different treatments of debtors to the Crown (taxpayers, welfare recipients and students);
• The introduction of legislation that provides for more punitive treatment for partners of welfare fraudsters than the partners of those engaging in other financial offending; and,
• The preferential treatment of the wealthy in the tax system