A Meander Valley brother and sister will be forced to pay $2.32 million to the Australian Tax Office after failing to pay income tax for years because it went against their religious beliefs.
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Justice Stephen Hold handed down his judgment on the matter brought forward by the ATO in the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
Rembertus Cornelis Beerepoot and Fanny Alida Beerepoot run the Melita Honey Farm in Chudleigh and have not paid income tax in eight years.
In his judgment, Justice Holt ordered Mr Beerepoot repay $927,640 and Ms Beerepoot pay $934,110 in income tax, administrative penalties, and interest charges.
Both are required to pay $232,695 each for running balance account deficit debts.
Mr and Ms Beerepoot had their Mole Creek property auctioned off by the Meander Valley Council in 2007 for failing to pay $3000 in rates over seven years.
They claimed they did not have to pay rates to the council as the land was owned by God. The property was sold for $120,000 and was recently sold again for almost $600,000.