Changes to legislation bring huge implications

The rural fires of last summer are a reminder of the risk of fire to our communities. The cause of the blaze in the Nelson region, one of New Zealand's largest plantation fires, was attributed to a spark caused when farm equipment hit a stone. This leads to the question – who is liable for the cost of fighting a rural fire? Read more…

We are truly blessed to live in the Land of the Long White Cloud. This beautiful country of ours is, however, also the land of water. Wherever you are, you are never far from water. We are world-famous for our stunning waterways – our lakes, rivers and beaches. But, it's also important to always remember that water can be dangerous and unpredictable. Read more…

Avoid common mistakes when employing summer staff

With summer fast approaching, many businesses will be hiring temporary staff to meet their needs over the busy summer months. Taking on temporary staff can throw up some tricky issues. Employers often are uncertain about what employment agreement is appropriate for temporary staff and how their holiday entitlements should be met. We explore the pros and cons of different kinds of agreements for temporary employees and provide guidance on their annual leave and holiday pay entitlements.  Read more…

In the Winter 2019 edition of Property Speaking, we outlined schemes available to help first home buyers. Following the government's announcement on 4 September 2019 of changes to the schemes, some schemes have been re-named: Read more…

The proposed purchaser of a Dunedin property is at least $150,000 out of pocket after improperly cancelling his agreement. The outcome in the recent court case Strack v Grey [2019] NZCA 432 warns buyers to take a diligent approach to conditions in an agreement for sale and purchase of property. Read more…

If you frequently buy and sell property, you may want to keep a close eye on Inland Revenue's review of some property tax rules that was announced in September 2019. One area being targeted is the use of the 'main home exemption'. Read more…