Legal Articles & Publications

By: Bethany Entwistle

The highly anticipated Privacy Bill was introduced to Parliament in March 2018 (the Bill) and is due to come into effect in July 2019. It will replace the Privacy Act 1993 and aims to modernise New Zealand’s privacy law framework, in accordance with international laws such as the European General Data Protection Regulation 2018.

By: Tom Corkill

When looking to raise equity capital for your business, it is crucial to understand that there is no one size fits all approach. A business will need to understand the full range of capital raising options available to it and then choose the option which not only optimises the actual cash raised but the value added to the business by an investor.

By: Angela Brown

A cross lease title was historically one of the two most common ways a property could be subdivided and contains rights of ownership and rights of use. New cross leases are not very common now. If you are looking to buy a property which is a cross lease title you should look carefully at the terms of the lease.

By: Amanda Douglas

New law, to make provision for victims of domestic violence, comes into force on 1 April 2019. Those affected by domestic violence will be entitled to: 10 days domestic violence leave per year, ask for short-term flexible working options and not be discriminated against due to being affected by domestic violence.

By: Jordan Halligan

When Mainzeal Property and Construction Limited (Mainzeal) collapsed in February 2013, it left behind a raft of unsecured creditors who were jointly owed just over $110 million. The proceedings brought by Mainzeal’s liquidators against its former directors were for the effective benefit of these creditors.

By: Paula Welsh

With the property market appearing to be more of a “buyers” market at present and purchasers wanting more time in which to complete their investigations into properties, what would a “cash out”, “escape” or “rollover” clause mean for both a vendor and purchaser?

By: Sophie Meares

A summary of the key changes in employment law for 2019 and the important dates to note.

By: Laura Wood

The Overseas Investment Office (OIO) placed greater restrictions on who can buy property in New Zealand on 22 October 2018. Most overseas people are now unable to buy homes in New Zealand (regardless of whether they already own property here), but some can request consent from the OIO.

By: Mike Doesburg

2018 produced and foreshadowed a number of important changes in the resource management and environmental space. 2019 looks set to provide a raft of further changes. Most people are back at work now and gearing up for the year ahead – what better time to reflect on what 2018 brought and look ahead at some of the things we know are coming in 2019.

By: Michelle Mehlhopt, Alyssa Langford

In Christchurch, and around the country, home owners and renters alike have been renting out their spare bedrooms and baches to visitors via websites like Airbnb. The explosion in listings on these sites has led to complaints from neighbours about noisy guests (in turn leading to compliance action being taken by district and city councils), and complaints that the hosts (i.e., the person renting the room to guests) are not paying their fair share in rates.

By: Amanda Douglas, Jack Stringer

On 6 December 2018, the Government passed its flagship Employment Relations Amendment Bill. The Bill seeks to restore a number of minimum standards and protections for employees, as well as strengthen collective bargaining and union rights in the workplace.

By: Bethany Entwistle

The highly anticipated Privacy Bill was introduced to Parliament in March 2018 and is due to come into effect in July 2019. It will replace the Privacy Act 1993 and aims to bring New Zealand’s privacy law framework up-to-date with the digital society we live in. The reform also brings New Zealand in line with international laws, including the European General Data Protection Regulation.