National Policy Statement on Urban Development: one of four public consultations opened this month The month of August has seen a flurry of activity coming from the Ministry for the Environment, with its proposed National Policy Statement (NPS) on Urban Development being released hot on the heels of the proposed NPS for Highly Productive Land. …
If you do not have the means to pay privately for a lawyer you may qualify for legal aid. You will need to apply to the Legal Services Agency for a legal aid grant using the appropriate form. We can assist you with these forms or you can find them here. Both Leesa Speed and …
The Government launched yesterday its overhaul of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) which, as described by Hon David Parker, “takes too long, costs too much and has not protected the environment”. The need had been highlighted by a reform project initiated by the Environmental Defence Society. Parker stressed that “if, with all our advantages, …
Comprehensive overhaul of Resource Management Act underway Read More »
The Productivity Commission, an independent Crown entity, has released its draft report on local government funding and financing following the Government’s request for the Commission to undertake an inquiry. The report runs to just under 300 pages, and includes useful context for the review, as well as high level analysis of trends in local government …
Productivity Commission inquiry: Local government funding and financing Read More »
One of the major risks of being a director is the liability you face if the company fails. Thanks to a new decision from the High Court, this risk has just become a lot higher. When a company fails, directors often face a risk that they will be sued for having breached their director duties. …
Trade Better – What Mainzeal means for Directors Read More »
What is FDR? Family Dispute Resolution (“FDR”) is a mediation service, designed to help separated couples and their families resolve disagreements regarding care of children. Attempting FDR is usually a mandatory pre-requisite before you can apply for a parenting or guardianship order in the Family Court. There are limited exceptions to this. For example, FDR …
Family Dispute Resolution for non-urgent parenting disputes Read More »
There is currently a Bill before Parliament that will amend many aspects of Trust Law contained in the Trustee Act of 1956. The amendments are likely to come into force in 2019. In anticipation of the overhaul of Trust Law it is a good time to consider whether the current trustees of your Trust are …
On 5 December 2018 the Employment Relations Act Amendment Bill was passed, bringing changes to employment law in New Zealand. While the majority of these changes will come into effect on 6 May 2019, some of the changes are already in force following the Bill being given Royal assent on 12 December 2018. The Domestic …
Employment Law Changes – What this means for 2019 Read More »
People making a Will normally think that they can do what they want with their own property. Since this is true for people during their lifetime, many are surprised to learn that their Wills can be challenged after their death if they do not meet certain requirements. This article talks about the main ways that …
The first set of National Planning Standards came into force on Friday 3 May 2019. These standards were released by the Minister for the Environment to improve the consistency of council plans and policy statements. Specifically, the standards set nationally consistent structure, format, definitions, noise and vibration metrics, and electronic functionality and accessibility requirements for …
