Latest news with #Morris
1News
a day ago
- Business
- 1News
Undeclared tax totalling $45m found in horticulture industry
Inland Revenue (IR) has found $45 million worth of undeclared taxes in the horticulture industry over the past 10 months. The tax department also said it had seen some "concerning" practices in the sector, including people being paid under the table. Inland Revenue spokesperson Tony Morris said paying tax for some in the sector had often become an afterthought with ongoing recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle, increasing compliance costs, and labour shortages. "Along with paying people under the table, IR is seeing cash sales not being reported correctly (including payments to contractors) and withholding tax not being deducted on schedular payments made, deducted at incorrect rates or not being reported to Inland Revenue." 'While many growers are doing things right, they typically hire labour through a contracting firm, which then frequently pays the labourers in cash. Some of these contracting firms then use convoluted business structures to try and hide those payments. ADVERTISEMENT "Not only does this mean they could avoid their tax, but it also means the labourers can get benefit payments they aren't entitled to or avoid their child support or student loan payments," Morris said. The morning's headlines in 90 seconds including what will happen to food after supermarket blaze, Trump's dithering over the Middle East, and winter car care tips. (Source: 1News) IR recently said it would be intensifying its tax compliance and collection efforts after a significant funding injection in the last two Budgets. The Government had allocated new additional permanent funding of $35 million a year for Inland Revenue and also continued funding of $26.5 million a year from Budget 2022 that was due to run out in June. A return of $4 for every dollar was expected for the first year with $8 for every dollar from the second year. Morris said IR was cracking down by requiring contracting firms to withhold tax from their labourers' payments and pay it directly to IR. "Where Inland Revenue identifies growers and other payers not correctly deducting or accounting for the tax, we are also following these up." Close to 100 audits of contracting firms were active at the moment, with prosecutions also underway. "With a high use of cash and migrant labour, the horticulture industry is also a sector open to abuse of workers," Morris said, adding that IR works with other government agencies to address those issues. 'Alongside Hort NZ and Zespri, we work hard to ensure growers and contracting firms are aware of what they need to do to get things right, and appreciate the efforts of the many who do get it right."
New York Post
3 days ago
- New York Post
No-nonsense Texas judge scolds man for wearing ‘World's Best Farter' shirt in courtroom: ‘I can see what it says'
A no-nonsense Texas judge scolded a man who brazenly wore a t-shirt that said 'World's Best Farter' to his felony court appearance. Jefferson County Judge Raquel West was less than pleased with defendant Sammy Morris' fashion choice when he appeared in front of her inside her courtroom last week, footage posted to the 252nd District Court's YouTube page shows. 'What made you think that was a good shirt to wear to court this morning?' West asked. 3 A Texas judge in Jefferson County called out a man for wearing a shirt that said 'World's Best Farter' for his felony court appearance. 252nd District Court / YouTube Morris mumbled that he picked the shirt — which said 'World's Best Farter,' then had 'I mean father' scribbled underneath — because it was the only shirt he could find to wear. 'That was the only shirt you had to wear in your closet?' she questioned. Morris tried arguing that the playful shirt said 'father,' but the Texas judge wasn't buying the excuse for his outfit choice. 'No, it says… I can read it. I see what it says at the bottom,' West said. West then reprimanded the man for not dressing appropriately under the circumstances as to why he was present in her courtroom. 3 Jefferson County Judge Raquel West was less than pleased with defendant Sammy Morris' fashion choice. 252nd District Court / YouTube 'You're in felony court. You need to dress appropriately for felony court, and that's not appropriate,' she said. West then let out a loud sigh and continued with the court proceedings. Courtroom participants — such as attorneys, parties and their representatives — are expected to wear 'appropriate business attire in the courtroom' and 'exercise common sense,' according to Texas courts. The courts list a business suit or a sports coat with dress slacks, a collared dress shirt, and a tie as 'appropriate business attire.' 3 Morris tried arguing that the playful shirt said 'father,' but the Texas judge wasn't buying the excuse for his outfit choice. 252nd District Court / YouTube The judge wasn't through with Morris as she continued to scold him for not having hired an attorney to represent him during his appearance. He claimed that he had called three lawyers before appearing in court, but he hadn't heard back from any of them in time. 'You need to get someone hired, or you need to actually talk to three lawyers,' she said. 'You can't actually hire someone unless you really try.' West then reset his case for 30 days and told him to get a lawyer. 'If you have to call 20 [lawyers] to get that done, then call 20,' the no-nonsense judge told him. She then told him that if he appeared in court again without a lawyer, his bond would be 'revoked,' and he would be sent back to jail. It's unclear what felony charge Morris is appearing in court for.
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Jake Morris says Tipperary minor heroes inspired senior revival after ‘embarrassing' 2024 collapse
AFTER Tipperary felt 'embarrassed' by their efforts in 2024, the success of the Premier's minor team had a major influence on the seniors' desire to restore pride. Hurling in Advertisement 2 Jake Morris of Tipperary hailed the minor All-Ireland winner for giving their senior side inspiration 2 Tipperary captain Cathal O'Reilly lifts the All-Ireland Minor Championship title after the win over Kilkenny in 2024 However, underage achievements brightened the outlook as the winning of an Under-20 provincial title was followed by a stunning triumph in the Jake Morris was one of the members of the senior set-up in attendance as the Tipp teenagers were forced to play the majority of their showpiece with 13 players due to a pair of first-half red cards. Yet James Woodlock's side displayed remarkable character to pull off an extra-time win over Kilkenny on their own patch. Asked if it was the type of occasion that struck a chord, Morris said: 'It was, in terms of looking at a team that fought on their backs together, a united team, a good battling Tipperary team, that never-say-die attitude and that's what you're referring to. Advertisement read more on gaa "That's what was taken away that day. 'You never mind losing a game as long as you've shown up and you've performed and you've fought on your back and you can come away together on the bus afterwards and you can look at each other. 'The manner of some of the defeats last year wasn't acceptable. I suppose that's where there was a bit of lessons taken from looking at 16- and 17-year-olds performing last year in Nowlan Park.' Morris admits he was 'embarrassed walking around' that day in Kilkenny after Tipperary had been dumped out of the Championship with an 18-point hammering against Cork six weeks earlier. Advertisement Most read in GAA Hurling Nevertheless, the response from Liam Cahill's men can only be admired. Wins over Clare and Waterford, as well as a draw with Limerick, sent them through to this year's knockouts stages. 'Just in time for Father's Day' - Dublin GAA legends welcome the birth of precious baby daughter Having blitzed Laois, another victory over Galway on Saturday would seal Tipp's place in a first All-Ireland semi-final since 2019. Morris explained: 'You can't hide away. "We were in the trenches after last year. We had to deal with it face on, take our constructive criticism and move on and look in the mirror. Advertisement 'There was a lot of soul-searching done over the winter, a lot of hard looks in the mirror and seeing what can be done more. 'To be fair, lads have done it and so have the management team. They've come with us every way in this journey. It hasn't been pointed just at the players. 'They've taken on the flak as well and together as a unit, we've worked hard and we've got ourselves into this situation now where we're still alive in the Championship and that's ultimately what we aim for.' After the year began with boss Cahill calling on fans to get behind his team, the Tipperary public have gradually been coaxed back to the stands and terraces too. Advertisement Morris said: 'Drawing against Limerick probably did plant the seed with a lot of Tipp supporters that, 'OK, these lads mean business, they're competitive again' but I don't think there was exactly one moment. "I think it's just been a lot of hard work since the start of the year.' In-form Morris was one of the stars of a campaign that saw Tipp only miss out on a place in the Munster final on scoring difference. The vice-captain, who debuted in 2018, added: 'I know I only turned 26 there a couple of weeks ago but I've seen a lot. Advertisement 'I suppose leadership is off the field and on the field and we've a lot of good leaders in that dressing room. 'I think for myself, it was just a look in the mirror and to say I need to do more, I need to do more on the field. 'It's not about giving big, massive speeches in the dressing room. It's about leading on the field and that's consciously what I was trying to go after.'
Irish Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
'We were embarrassed walking around' Tipp star on how minor team showed the way
Last month, Tipperary manager Liam Cahill referenced last year's All-Ireland minor final and how it visited embarrassment on him. Five weeks after his side had exited the Championship with a whimper after a winless campaign, their under-17s dug out a truly remarkable extra-time win over Kilkenny having had two players sent off in the first half of normal time. 'I was so happy to be a Tipperary man but I was also so embarrassed that our flagship team didn't follow that and set that trend, that we had to rely on a group of younger players in Tipperary to show us the Tipperary way,' Cahill noted after the win over Waterford on May 18 guaranteed that they would be playing knockout hurling this year. But he wasn't the only person attached to the senior set-up that experienced similar emotions at that minor final. Jake Morris felt it too. 'Definitely,' said Morris. 'I was down in Nowlan Park myself that day and there's no point in saying it, we were embarrassed walking around. 'Players are in the trenches. You have to go to work, you can't hide away. We were in the trenches after last year. 'We had to deal with it face on and take our constructive criticism and move on and look in the mirror. 'There was a lot of soul-searching done over the winter. A lot of hard looks in the mirror and seeing what can be done more. To be fair, lads have done it and so have the management team. 'They have come with us every way in this journey. It hasn't been pointed just at the players, they've taken on the flack as well and together as a unit, we've worked hard and we've got ourselves into this situation now where we're still alive in the Championship and that's ultimately what we aim for.' Morris doesn't hang Tipperary's progress on any one moment, but that minor final was a significant staging post all the same. 'It was in terms of looking at a team that fought on their backs together, a united team, a good battling Tipperary team, that never-say-die attitude. 'That's what was taken away [from] that day. We never mind losing games and any of the boys there will tell you, you never mind losing a game as long as you've shown up and you've performed and you've fought on your back and you can come away together on the bus afterwards and you can look at each other. 'The manner of some of the defeats last year wasn't acceptable. That's, I suppose, where there was a bit of lessons taken from looking at 16 and 17-year-olds performing last year in Nowlan Park.' Morris recently turned 26 and is now in his eighth season on the senior panel. He recognised that he couldn't look elsewhere for leadership, particularly amid a swathe of experienced players having departed over the past couple of seasons. 'I think for myself it was just a look in the mirror and to say, 'I need to do more, I need to do more on the field'. 'It's not about giving big, massive speeches in the dressing room. It's about leading on the field and that's consciously what I was trying to go after.' Perhaps the lowest point was in last year's Championship when Cork inflicted an 18-point beating in Thurles, with the vast majority of the near capacity crowd in Semple Stadium wearing red. But the Tipp support has rowed in behind the team this year and have been rewarded, with that win over Waterford their first at home in the Championship in six long years. They made light work of Laois last weekend and now an All-Ireland quarter-final awaits against Galway on Saturday. 'It's massive,' says Morris of the swell in support. 'You're down the home straight of a match down in Ennis and in Semple Stadium against Waterford and you hear the chanting going, 'Tipp, Tipp, Tipp' and you know that they're going to roar you out over the line. 'I suppose all Tipperary supporters are very fair, they just want to see a team that are battling hard and giving it their all and that's what we're doing this year and I suppose that's why they're getting behind us now, because it's a team that they can enjoy going to watch. 'I think it's been a slow, steady process where it's been week-on-week in the League where we've been giving performances and we've been trying hard and I think it's been just coming from that. 'Week-on-week, the performances have been getting better and better and the battling and the desire to hurl for Tipperary has been evident in players that are putting on the jersey and I think it's just been a work in progress there. 'I don't think there was an exact turning point. I suppose getting to the League final was nice. Drawing against Limerick probably did plant the seed with a lot of Tipp supporters that, 'Ok these lads, they mean business, they're competitive again' but I don't think there was exactly one moment. 'I think it's just been a lot of hard work since the start of the year.'
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Jake Morris: 'The manner of some of the defeats last year wasn't acceptable'
When Liam Cahill spoke last month about he and the Tipperary players being 'embarrassed' at the county's All-Ireland minor final win over Kilkenny, it was eye-opening. As a 13-man Tipperary pulled off a famous extra-time win, what should have been a joyous day for anyone affiliated with the blue and gold was a bittersweet one for the members of the county's flagship group. For Cahill, Jake Morris and others, it exacerbated their sense of disappointment after failing to get out of the Munster SHC the previous month. 'I was down in Nowlan Park myself that day and there's no point in saying it, we were embarrassed walking around,' recalls Morris. 'Players are in the trenches. You have to go to work, you can't hide away. We were in the trenches after last year. We had to deal with it face on and take our constructive criticism and move on and look in the mirror. 'There was a lot of soul-searching done over the winter. A lot of hard looks in the mirror and seeing what can be done more. To be fair, lads have done it and so have the management team. They have come with us every way in this journey. 'It hasn't been pointed just at the players, they've taken on the flack as well and together as a unit, we've worked hard and we've got ourselves into this situation now where we're still alive in the championship and that's ultimately what we aim for.' Read More Jarlath Burns defends GAA's fixtures body in wake of Donegal criticism In those tigerish Tipperary teenagers, Morris took inspiration. Another All-Ireland final loss after the U20s fell to Offaly in Nowlan Park earlier that June would have been rough but the afterglow of the minors's achievement was lengthy. It was something of a turning point too, Morris concurs. 'It was in terms of looking at a team that fought on their backs together, a united team, a good battling Tipperary team, that never-say-die attitude. That's what was taken away that day. 'We never mind losing games and any of the boys there will tell you, you never mind losing a game as long as you've shown up and you've performed and you've fought on your back and you can come away together on the bus afterwards and you can look at each other. 'The manner of some of the (senior) defeats last year wasn't acceptable. That's where there was a bit of lessons taken from looking at 16 and 17-year-olds performing last year in Nowlan Park.' Morris isn't sure there was a similar seminal moment for the seniors this year even though they emerged from the province. 'I suppose getting to the league final was nice. Drawing against Limerick probably did plant the seed with a lot of Tipp supporters that, 'Ok these lads, they mean business, they're competitive again' but I don't think there was exactly one moment.' Jake Morris of Tipperary is tackled by Cian Galvin and David McInerney of Clare during the Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship. Pic: Ray McManus/Sportsfile. What's certain is the Tipperary supporters are back behind their team in strong numbers having been away for a while. 'It's massive,' says the Nenagh Éire Óg man. 'You're down the home straight of a match down in Ennis and in Semple Stadium the last day against Waterford and you hear the chanting going, 'Tipp, Tipp, Tipp' and you know that they're going to roar you out over the line. 'All Tipperary supporters are very fair, they just want to see a team that are battling hard and giving it their all and that's what we're doing this year and that's why they're getting behind us now, because it's a team that they can enjoy going to watch.' But Morris doesn't lose sight of the fact that it's about the wins. A fourth straight SHC victory in Limerick this Saturday and what would be a first in four SHC meetings against Galway will earn Tipperary a first appearance in Croke Park since their 2019 All-Ireland final success. 'If you're not winning games, the morale is down. We got a couple of pats on the backs for our second half performance against Cork, but a pat on the back is no good to us at that level. "It's a points business, so it's all about results and from here on in it's about results and performance and that's what we're going to be judged off.'
