Guess it doesn't help that the structure of the winter/summer leagues means players are playing 11-ish months of the year.
NZF turn a blind eye because they don't want (and aren't capable of) being asked to sort out a semi-pro/pro league.
even when we did have a semi-pro league (ie before the Kingz \ Knights \ Nix) the same things went on, players paid via sponsors, Tobacco money payed for a lot of it, that got canned and Pokie money took over, difference now with Pokie money is it is very regulated and the audits are reasonably tough - people slag the clubs for "rorting" the system, but pretty much all are doing whats with in the law - its not their fault the law is an ass.
But you do have to show that you are spending money on what you say you are these days, theres no getting a $200k grant for lights and instead buying a box of lightbulbs ala Mt Maunganui!
changing our league status from amateur to semi pro will change nothing and all it will do is make life harder for the Phoenix