Help! Multiple meanings to 'milking parlour'?

Can anyone out there help an Engine Room regular? Roz has written in with the following query:

Recently my work supervisor asked me whether I knew what 'milking parlour' meant. She thinks it could be a euphemism for some sort of tax dodge or other criminal activity. We don't even use the term 'milking parlour/parlor' in Australia – it's a cow shed! I was wondering whether you and/or your readers would have any idea.


I haven't been unable to unearth anything except the obvious "shed or building specially equipped for milking cows" (OED Online). Nothing about tax dodges or criminal activities, anyway.

Cow's udder, pic from MorguefileUdderly stuck...

2 comments:

Roy said...

My understanding of this is that it is some form of tax haven where the filthy rich salt away their ill gotten gains, often claiming that their income was generated in the country in question rather than their real home country. Where the money is stashed would obviously have a far lower rate of income tax - or none at all. Unfortunately, I have never been wealthy enough to take advantage of schemes like this.

JD (The Engine Room) said...

It's just occurred to me - would a milking parlour have any connection to cash cows?