A Northland group accused of dodging $800,000 in tax will appear in the Whangarei District Court today.

The crown alleges Timothy Meredith, Carol Karl, Andrew Karl, Thomas Brown, and Timothy Craig deliberately avoided paying tax trading under the name Nga Uri o Tupoto between April 2006 and April 2015.

According to the Inland Revenue Department, the group received over $3.6 million in its banks account during that time.

Timothy Meredith and Andrew Karl told the jury in its opening remarks that the group was one of many Maori organisations and while they were not registered, it didn't mean they weren't operating.

They questioned why the IRD did not contact or file charges against the society.

Timothy Craig failed to appear in court yesterday alongside his co-accuseds and a warrant is out for his arrest.