NZTA warning over CCD fraud

The NZTA has welcomed the sentencing of a South Island-based car dealer who illegally claimed rebates under the now-defunct clean car discount (CCD).

From a starting point of two years and 10 months’ in jail, Hamish Gardyne was sentenced to nine months and two weeks’ home detention as well as 200 hours of community work. 

To arrive at the sentence laid down by Dunedin District Court on September 9, the judge considered the seriousness of the offending and scale of the fraud.

Brett Aldridge, the NZTA’s national manager of road-safety regulations, says sending a clear message to the wider industry that this type of behaviour is unacceptable is a priority for the agency.

“This sentencing was the result of many months’ meticulous work,” he adds. “The scale of this fraud was significant. 

“This sentence should send a strong warning to anyone considering fraudulent activity in the vehicle industry that the NZTA will investigate and prosecute when we find breaches.”

Rebates over the CCD were able to be claimed from April 2022 to December 2023 by owners of zero or low-emissions vehicles.

Car dealers were only allowed to claim a rebate for stock they registered to themselves and then used as company, courtesy or demonstration vehicles for at least three months.

Between March and April 2023, Gardyne applied to get rebates on 119 Nissan Leafs, claiming they were demonstration cars. The rebate for this model would have been $3,450 per unit amounting to a total of $410,550.

Concerned about the number of claims for demonstrators from Gardyne’s company Hamish Vehicle Sales Ltd (HVS), the NZTA launched an investigation. 

It found the defendant’s claims were false, and that he had already sold and exported 90 of the EVs to Australia.

The agency recovered the one claim paid out to Gardyne, who later withdrew his other 118 claims through his lawyer.