Legal Insights

Your farmland is your most valuable asset. It may have provided your family with a quality life for generations and

The Government has announced a further round of changes to the responsible lending laws which were implemented last year. This

In 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government decided to restrict migration into New Zealand and suspended

On 16 August 2022, the most important provisions of the Fair Trading Amendment Act 2021 (“Amendment Act”) will come into

On 30 June, the High Court upheld a Financial Markets Authority (FMA) order requiring property and development company Du Val

The Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment Act (“the Act”) came into force on 29 June 2022. The Act introduces

Over recent years, the growing number of funded representative actions has resulted in much wrangling in court with procedural issues

In December 2021, the Government implemented changes to consumer credit laws, including extending suitability and affordability requirements across all lending

Last week the Government made a significant step in advancing their Three Waters Reform agenda by introducing the Water Services

The immigration sector is to undergo an overhaul with the introduction of the new Accredited Employer Work Visa (“AEWV”) on

In a previous article discussing 90 day trial periods, we noted that if you have 20 or more employees you

Small merchant businesses often struggle with the burden of service fees for using retail payment networks such as Visa and

The long-awaited Protected Disclosures (Protection of Whistleblowers) Bill 2020 (“the Bill”) was passed on 10 May 2022, coming into force

90 day trial periods can be very useful tools as they allow employers to find out whether an employee is

Last year, the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) imposed new requirements for disclosures and the preparing of financial statements by trusts.

This month, the Government announced that it planned to introduce legislation to address modern slavery and worker exploitation. The Bill

Following the imposition of changes to the COVID-19 Protection Framework made on April 4, which included changes to the vaccination

As of April 4th, major changes to Covid-19 rules and restrictions have come into effect. All of New Zealand remains

The Fair Pay Agreements Bill (the Bill) has just been introduced to Parliament after several years of discussion and public

On Friday 18 March, the first slew of sanctions made under the Russia Sanctions Act 2022 came into effect, through

On February 24, the Government released an exposure draft of the proposed Insurance Contracts Bill (“the Bill”) and an accompanying

In February this year, the Government, supported by Business New Zealand and the Council of Trade Unions, proposed the introduction

The Omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus is now sweeping the country, causing large scale disruption to workforces and supply

As of 15 February, New Zealand is now in Phase 2 of its Omicron response. Phase 2 is focused on

New Zealand has now moved into Phase 2 of its Omicron Response. This means that the Close Contact Exemption Scheme

Cartel conduct is usually thought of as referring to classic anti-competitive arrangements such as fixing the prices of products or

Restraint of trade clauses in employment agreements can be vital tools for employers in protecting their proprietary interests when an

General  New Zealand moved to the red traffic light setting at 11:59pm on Sunday 23 January 2021 to protect us

The festive season is here again and with it comes the task of managing public holidays, Christmas closedowns and annual

The Government's promised new law regarding vaccination requirements in employment has now been released, and is expected to be passed

On December 3, New Zealand will move to the new COVID-19 Protection Framework, otherwise known as the Traffic Light system.

In September 2020, the Government issued the Covid-19 Public Health Response (Isolation and Quarantine) Order 2020 (“the Order”), which requires

On October 28, Parliament passed the COVID-19 Response (Management Measures) Legislation Bill. It contained a provision that implies clauses that

The Government has made a number of announcements about mandatory vaccination in the workplace in order to prepare businesses and

Employers would have been greatly relieved this week to learn of the Court of Appeal's decision to reverse the ruling

In recent times the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) has been engaged in a concerted effort to facilitate conduct by financial

NZS3910:2013 is a schedule of standard form conditions of contract for incorporation into construction contract documents provided by Standards New

On 16 August, several major provisions of the Fair Trading Amendment Act 2021 (Amendment Act) came into force. The Amendment

Many commercial leases allow for an abatement of rent where the tenant is unable to access the premises to fully

The Privacy Act 2020 (the Act) has been in force since 1 December 2020. The Act provided a number of

A recently enacted Public Health Order introduces mandatory requirements for all businesses to have record-keeping systems in place to record

Auckland's Level 4 lockdown is set to continue until at least 11:59 on Tuesday 21 September, after which it will

As the long tail of the Delta outbreak drags on and the country remains in elevated Alert Levels, many businesses

At 11:59pm on Tuesday 7 September, all of New Zealand except for Auckland will go down to Alert Level 2.

There are several forms of financial support available for businesses during the 2021 Covid-19 lockdown, below is a summary outlining

The Delta outbreak is still far from over and higher alert level restrictions remain in place across the country. Accordingly,

After a slow start the New Zealand vaccine roll-out is now charging ahead, spurred on by the Delta outbreak. The

All of New Zealand went down to Alert Level 3 yesterday, except for Northland which will go to Level 3

The Government has decided that all of New Zealand south of Auckland will be in Alert Level 4 until 11:59pm

Well, here we go again. After an almost miraculous Covid-free run, Covid-19 has once again been detected in the community.

“No Access” lease clauses provide for an abatement of rent while the tenant is unable to access the premises. Covid-19

The Fair Trading Amendment Bill ('the Bill'), which will amend the Fair Trading Act 1986, has now passed its second

The new “Business Continuity Test” which allows businesses to carry forward tax losses despite a change of ownership has now

The Government has decided to establish a Consumer Data Right (CDR) in New Zealand to give individuals and businesses greater

Minimum wage increase in effect from 1 April 2021 On 1 April 2021 the Adult Minimum Wage increased to $20.00

It is no secret that New Zealand is in the midst of a housing crisis. The housing crisis has been

The Government has recently introduced the Incorporated Societies Bill into Parliament. The Bill has been long-awaited, having been out for

Later life relationships can be fulfilling and rewarding but may involve challenges from children and grandchildren specifically arising from expectations

The Times They are a-Changin’ – the proposed Climate Change Adaptation Act With the Government now confirming the repeal and

If your business leases land, either as a landlord or tenant, you also need to be familiar with The Property

What laws apply? Your Lawlink lawyer will be able to advise you about the specific legal requirements that apply to

What is corporate governance? Corporate governance is the general reference to all the issues facing directors and boards in directing

Should you have a Family Trust? One of the few certainties in life is change. Although change can be exciting,

Once your trust has been established it is very important that it is administered properly. Your trust achieves its objectives

When someone dies the following steps have to be taken: The will should be read to make sure that you

Frequently asked questions At alert level 1, all business, schools, and other organisations can operate without restrictions in place. Everyone

Alert Level 1 Frequently Asked Questions As we all adjust to the “new normal”, it is more important than ever

Wage Subsidy Extension On 14 May the Government announced the Wage Subsidy Extension scheme as part of its COVID-19 Response

This week and next will have more employees returning to the workplace. However, the rules remain the same - only

Frequently asked questions Under Alert Level 2 the same rules will apply. Businesses can reopen if they can do so

What does Alert Level 2 mean for my business? The government redefined what Alert Level 2 will involve several days

As we work through Alert Level 3 and (hopefully) towards Level 2, we see more and more businesses opening and

Employee 1: is working in an essential service or is able to fully work from home. Company is functioning as

Frequently asked questions The Government set out new guidelines for New Zealanders when we move down from Level 4 restrictions.

Frequently asked questions Read full opinion

General overview While there are many new processes, terms and mechanisms for us to get our heads around – including

Under the Covid-19 Response (Urgent Management Measures) Legislation Act 2020, the government has significantly altered the law governing residential tenancies.

The government will, from 27 April, introduce the legislation making the following changes with respect to the termination of commercial

Yesterday the government set out new guidelines for New Zealanders when we move down from level four restrictions. While many

Hardship is becoming a fact of life in the era of Covid-19. Lost income is making meeting debt obligations more

Landlords and tenants are, unsurprisingly, anxious for clarity on the situation around rent abatement under the Auckland District Law Society

With the country still being in an effective lockdown for the next few weeks, companies, incorporated societies, charities and other