News

 Expand The Serious Fraud Office says it suspects false documents may have been used to hide a major financial loss suffered by foreign exchange trader CFX Trade Safe Limited. Photo / The ListenerThe Serious Fraud Office says it has grounds to believe that an offence involving serious or...

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The value of 'super fraud' cases brought before New Zealand courts surged to $62.9 million during the first half of the year, with the Government bearing the brunt of most of reported fraud in New Zealand. The Fraud Barometer report, conducted every six months by international auditing firm...

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The first "supergrass" seen in Belfast for more than two decades yesterday gave evidence against 14 loyalists who, he testified, were responsible for a murder and a catalogue of other terrorist offences. He told a Belfast court that the leader of the Ulster Volunteer Force gang, Mark...

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Victims of bullying and their families have at last been given closure The report released yesterday by the Ombudsman on complaints arising out of bullying at Hutt Valley High School in December 2007 shows why complaining to the ombudsmen is an effective way to resolve problems with...

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Supermarket chain Foodstuffs has been found to be have breached advertising standards by using the Silver Ferns netball team in an ad for liquor. The Advertising Standards Authority upheld a complaint about the ad for the company's New World supermarket which said: "Win a training session...

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A young mother and her baby facing a cold night with nowhere to stay in Gisborne turned to a real estate agency for rescue, after three social service agencies were unable to help. Ms Kay said she and her staff could not turn the woman and her baby away. "I'm looking at this girl with...

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No place for archaic and unfair funding system for student groups. There are more than 10,000 incorporated societies in New Zealand. Most of these groups are funded through membership fees, fundraising and donations. The exception is compulsory student associations. Read more

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A bid to demolish a cracked chimney at the Chelsea Sugar Refinery is being opposed on grounds that it is part of the Birkenhead site's high heritage value. Seen from the Auckland Harbour Bridge, its faded blue concrete structure contrasts with the 1880s refinery's "Tuscany Red"...

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About 950 Auckland Council properties worth nearly $1 billion will be wiped from the record books if a council-owned body does not hurry up and file an annual return with the Companies Office. The office was due to contact Auckland Council Property Ltd last night to inform the...

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Hamilton City Council will seek support from the community for moving to a new voting system when ratepayers have their say at the polls in 2013. The council yesterday tweaked its earlier position by signalling its strong support for moving from first past the post to the single transferable...

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The ban which Fiji’s Military Regime and now Police Force has placed on Methodist Church of Fiji gatherings and meetings is a disturbing development in a country where the rule of law is already eroded, the New Zealand Law Society says. Law Society President Jonathan Temm says the Law...

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Activists demand to be put back on trial in show of solidarity with fellow activists despite charges being dropped by the CPS   21 members of UK Uncut say they have used their legal right to "revive" their cases to both prove their innocence and to stand in solidarity with 30...

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Publication ordered by judge in lawsuit brought by Oracle shows internal policy of early release to partners which 'align', while HTC sues Apple with ex-Google patents   Internal Google documents released in a lawsuit being brought by Oracle indicate that the search giant aimed to give...

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iled finance company director Rod Petricevic is still pursuing his bid for legal aid. Petricevic appeared in court today where his trial and that of former Bridgecorp chairman Bruce Davidson, executive Rob Roest and two other ex-directors Gary Urwin and Peter Steigrad was re-scheduled for...

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Some judges fear that the presence of cameras in court rooms might encourage their colleagues to put on a performance Could some of Her Majesty's judges soon become as famous as their counterparts on The X Factor – or TV's Judge John Deed? That's the intriguing possibility raised by...

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Revenue Minister Peter Dunne has tabled new student loan legislation in Parliament to make it mandatory to provide a New Zealand-based contact person when applying for repayment holidays, which will also be cut from three years to one year for those travelling overseas. The Student Loan Scheme...

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Legislation to ensure consumers can have confidence in the quality of natural health products is being tabled in Parliament today, says Associate Health Minister Jonathan Coleman. The Natural Health Products Bill is one of the shared policy initiatives agreed to by the National and Green...

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The police are standing by their decision to prosecute the 'Urewera 18' and won't be making any apologies. The Crown yesterday revealed 13 of the 17 defendants in Operation Eight would be discharged. Read more

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Rotorua coroner Wallace Bain has called for silent witnesses to become criminally responsible if they allow repeat drink-drivers to get behind the wheel. The coroner released his findings yesterday on an inquest into the death of Rotorua 23-year-old Whittney Robertson. Read more

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Failed lender Mutual Finance has repaid $1.8 million to the government after calling on the retail deposit guarantee, according to the latest receiver's report. Receivers Brendon Gibson and Grant Graham of KordaMentha said they have repaid some of the Crown's funding as at July 13, but didn't...

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The European Union is willing to sign up to a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol, after the present one expires at the end of next year, but only if commitments are forthcoming from other major emitters, EU Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard says. Commissioner...

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The volume of internet traffic coming into New Zealand has dropped sharply since new anti-piracy rules came into force, says an industry insider. An employee from one of the country's largest internet companies, who did not want to be named, said the demand for international traffic had fallen...

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About 300 victims in the $80 million Blue Chip property disaster have been granted a last chance to fight deals to buy units in five inner-city Auckland high-rise blocks. The Supreme Court yesterday granted them leave to challenge a Court of Appeal decision which in March went against them....

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Community groups and the Historic Places Trust face a huge claim for costs from the developer who wants to turn the Masonic Hotel Tavern in Devonport into apartments and a cafe. Redback Develop has asked the Environment Court to award costs of $238,571 that it spent on fighting a challenge to...

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About 5700 of the country's lowest-paid workers have won a landmark $100 million deal to pay them the minimum wage for overnight sleepover shifts from Christmas next year. The Service Workers Union says Health Minister Tony Ryall has agreed to recommend legislation to the Cabinet on Monday to...

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n Ki-Moon says he will deliver two key messages to the Pacific leaders summit opening in Auckland today: the need to tackle climate change and to work hard for peace and security especially where people were yearning for democracy. The United Nations Secretary-General said yesterday his visit...

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The Ombudsman has called for mandatory anti-bullying programmes following the failure of a Wellington school to deal with systemic violence by students. Violence at Hutt Valley High School was exposed following several incidents in December 2007, including a sex assault on a student,...

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The Earthquake Commission is considering the implications of a High Court case it lost over the claims limit for multiple damage to Christchurch homes. But the EQC has not yet decided whether it will challenge the ruling in the Court of Appeal. The court ruled the limit of $100,000 on...

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A visiting author is calling for crimes against nature, or "ecocide", to be recognised as the fifth crime against humanity. British environmental lawyer and writer Polly Higgins said current environmental laws are not fit for purpose and corporations which do serious, lasting damage...

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Problems of people-smuggling into the Pacific are unlikely to be addressed in this week's Pacific Islands Forum, after Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said today she would not be raising the issue. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister John Key said he expected there to be general...

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The devastating reality of sexual violence being suffered by women in the Solomon Islands has been laid bare in a Amnesty International report released in Auckland today. The report - Where is the Dignity in That - looked particularly at the abuse suffered by women living in Solomon Island...

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Australia said it was not planning to prosecute WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange after the whistleblowing site dumped thousands of unredacted US diplomatic cables on the internet. The government has slammed the actions of Australia-born Assange as irresponsible and has previously considered...

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Links between a local company and a Panamanian financier alleged to be involved in crime have fuelled fears that overseas criminals are favouring New Zealand registered companies to perpetrate fraud, launder money and evade taxes. Mr Power ... said a lack of enforcement of current company law...

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The United Nations tribunal set up to prosecute the most serious offences committed during the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s today convicted Momčilo Perišić for crimes against humanity and war crimes and sentenced the former chief of staff of the Yugoslav Army to 27 years in prison....

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The Government has today released its response to the Health Select Committee's Inquiry into improving New Zealand’s environment to support innovation through clinical trials. Health Minister Tony Ryall says "The inquiry found the approvals process is robust but it can take months,...

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A Bill that proposes consumer protection measures to the Building Act 2004 was introduced to Parliament today. Building Amendment Bill (No 4) provides for a range of measures designed to help consumers hold building practitioners to account. The Bill is the companion to the Building...

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Proposals to change accident compensation regulations could increase the amount of co-payment required by injured people to the cost of treatment for their personal injuries, the New Zealand Law Society says. The Law Society says this is because the amount actually charged for treatment is...

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Proposals by the High Court Rules Committee to uplift judgment enforcement costs have merit, according to the New Zealand Law Society. However, in comments to the Committee on its proposals on time allocation and daily recovery rates, the Law Society says any presumption of a 50% uplift should...

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The New Zealand Law Society says it supports the approach of the Law Commission to regulation of the credit industry, and believes all obligations should be included in one piece of legislation. In its comments to the Law Commission on the Commission’s Review of the Credit (Repossession)...

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Reports of spy drones used by media corporations could constitute misuse of private information and harassment The military use of "spy drones" is very well established. United States Air Force drones have now done more than a million "combat hours". Drones have been used...

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The ruling that Australia can no longer send 'boat people' back to Malaysia shows countries cannot dodge their refugee obligations   This week, Australian immigration policy was dealt a significant blow by a judgment of the high court of Australia on the so-called "Malaysia...

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Associate Professor Bill Hodge, of the Auckland University law school, drove straight to the nub of the matter in commenting on the comedian who last week walked free after facing sex charges involving his 4-year-old daughter. "If he'd been an auto mechanic, he would have been down the...

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Christchurch lawyer Marcus Elliott has been appointed Counsel Assisting the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Building Failure Caused by the Canterbury Earthquakes, with a specific focus on representing the interests of victims' families, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson said today....

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Cabinet has signed off the release of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority’s draft Recovery Strategy for public consultation, Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee announced today. "While the initial recovery is well underway in Canterbury, this strategy sets out a...

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More than 9700 residential properties in the Christchurch Port Hills area have been rezoned from white to green, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee announced today. "This means these homeowners can now get on with the process of repairing or rebuilding their homes if...

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An application for bail by convicted Nathans Finance director Roger Moses has been dismissed by the High Court in Auckland. Company chairman Moses was sent to jail for two years and two months last week and ordered to pay $425,000 in reparations, while fellow director Mervyn Doolan was...

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The death of Timaru financier Allan Hubbard makes little difference to the ongoing sale of his businesses - but compassion is being exercised. Kerryn Downey, South Canterbury Finance receiver at McGrathNicol with William Black, said SCF staff numbers were gradually being reduced, offices in...

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Ngapuhi leader David Rankin has called for the University of Auckland to dismiss prominent Maori academic Professor Margaret Mutu, labelling her the "Robert Mugabe of New Zealand politics". Mr Rankin made the comment after Professor Mutu said there should be a cap on the number of...

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The Piha Cafe will offer something stronger than organic icecream from Saturday after succeeding with one of two bids for a liquor licence. Owners Pete and Pattie Dillon were yesterday preparing the rustic 35-seat premises for the on-licence granted by the Auckland Council for one year. This...

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Paul Ceglia, who claims a 2003 contract with Mark Zuckerberg made him a partner in Facebook, said the company's lawyers committed an "egregious and massive violation" of his privacy by publishing his email passwords. Facebook's lawyers, from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, included...

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