Thursday evening reported E24 that former director Stein Lier-Hansen in Norsk Industri has handled the lease of a cabin and 17,000 acres of hunting ground on Hardangervidda for eight years.
Norsk Industri paid over NOK 1.1 million for renting the hunting area and cabin, as well as NOK 1.3 million for seaplanes to and from the area.
Lier-Hansen used the hunting area for relationship-building work, but also for private hunting trips with friends and family, writes the business newspaper.
The main rule is that all benefits with financial value – or benefits – that you receive from your employer are taxable.
The NHO chief: – Unacceptable
NHO director Ole Erik Almlid is now reacting strongly to how Norsk Industri spent over NOK 2.4 million on hunting grounds, cabins and seaplanes for guests at Hardangervidda.
– This is an unacceptable use of members’ money. Spending millions on hunting and seaplanes is definitely not inside. We are and must be very conscious of how we use members’ money and how we act on behalf of Norwegian companies, says Ole Erik Almlid, CEO of NHO to E24 in a statement.
– NHO and NHO’s 18 national associations live on trust, says Almlid.
Lier-Hansen tells the newspaper that he believes the use of the area was “completely within”, and that the administration in Norsk Industri was aware of the lease agreement.
Law professor Arvid Aage Skaar believes Stein Lier-Hansen should have paid tax since it was used for private hunting trips.
– The fact that he has covered part of the costs does not mean that he has not benefited from the use of the cabin. The fact that he brings food himself does not change this, says professor emeritus at the Faculty of Law at the University of Oslo, Arvid Aage Skaar, to NRK.