The proposed farm debt mediation scheme is a step closer to becoming law after the Farm Debt Mediation Bill (No. 2) passed its third reading in Parliament yesterday. From there the bill will be sent for Royal Assent and formally be passed into law. Structural parts of the bill, allowing for the More »

The proposed farm debt mediation scheme is a step closer to becoming law after the Farm Debt Mediation Bill (No. 2) was approved by the Committee of the Whole House in Parliament yesterday. The bill is progressing swiftly, with the third reading expected to occur this week. From there the bill will More »

A charitable trust has recently been sentenced for breaching the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act 2007 (often known as the Spam Act ), in a reminder that it’s easy to do the wrong thing, even if it is unintentional. [1] The New Zealand Trustees Association Charitable Trust ( NZTA ) More »

The area of land that is covered by water in a big flood (like those which only occur once every 20-50 years) is not the right starting point for determining what the “bed” of a river is for the purposes of the RMA. Rather, the Court determined that the correct starting point is the More »

Insurance is absolutely crucial, and when borrowing from lenders to complete a house purchase, it is compulsory. Lenders will not allow a loan drawdown without written confirmation that appropriate and sufficient insurance cover is in place. Usually there is replacement insurance relating to fire, More »

A sole trader is a common ownership structure that can be used to operate a small business. The main operator of the business may be one person, supported by a family member such as a spouse. Operating a business may be risky if the right asset protection and insurance is not in place to support More »

Building a house can be a stressful, expensive and intimidating prospect for both new and experienced customers. As such, ensuring you are aware of not only your rights and obligations, but also those of the builder, is crucial. Prior to even hiring a builder, you should complete your own due More »

Background 2019 is seeing major policy changes proposed by the Government that will affect the six most commonly utilised work visa categories. This will place obligations on all employers wishing to recruit foreign workers to become accredited under one of three new categories. There will also be More »

The Government has released today a wide-ranging plan, which aims to “stop the degradation of our rivers and lakes, achieve a noticeable improvement in five years and restore our waterways within a generation.” The proposal document, Action for healthy waterways – A discussion More »