Top businesswoman faces tax evasion charges

A high-flying businesswoman who also holds a royal honour is facing a raft of tax evasion charges.

Rae Beverley Adlam, 65, of Tauranga, has been charged with 32 counts of evading the assessment or payment of tax, court documents show.

The Bay of Plenty identity, who was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2008, appeared briefly in Tauranga District Court yesterday morning. She is scheduled to reappear on August 18.

Adlam would not comment except to say she would defend the charges.

Formerly a director of the Kaupapa Maori division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Adlam has held a range of leadership roles in several business, state and community organisations.

As chairwoman of the Tuwharetoa Kawerau Trust, she helped to negotiate the purchase of Kawerau geothermal assets for local iwi.

She is listed as a director of Ngati Tuwharetoa Geothermal Assets, which will provide the steam and geothermal fluids needed to operate the new 25mW Kawerau geothermal power plant.

She is also listed as a director and shareholder of Ngati Tuwharetoa Custodian Trustee Company Limited.

Adlam has also been a member of the Qualifications Authority and the former Bay of Plenty Area Health Board and a trustee of the New Zealand Telethon Trust.

She has held roles with the Lottery Bay of Plenty/Gisborne Community Development Committee, Bay of Plenty Electricity, Trustbank Bay of Plenty, and the NZ Forestry Corporation. She has been Waiariki Young Maori Woman of the Year, Businesswoman of the Year and won two broadcasting awards.