News

Education Minister Hekia Parata says the Education Amendment Bill, introduced today, includes a number of changes which will help improve education outcomes for learners. “Changes to the Education Amendment Bill will provide more clarity for schools and Boards of Trustees, and ensure...

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A new $60 million package will improve the support and recognition given to veterans who have served New Zealand, says Veterans’ Affairs Minister Nathan Guy. Prime Minister John Key announced the new package at the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services’ Association’s...

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Prime Minister John Key today outlined the Government’s next steps to prepare Mighty River Power for its partial sale in the first half of 2013. “I’m pleased to announce today Cabinet made three decisions regarding our shares sales programme: “First, the Government...

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Hon Tariana Turia, Associate Minister of Housing, has today announced the Government has made changes to the Kainga Whenua loan scheme which will enable houses to be built on multiply owned Maori land. The expanded policy will provide an opportunity to advance housing aspirations for whanau,...

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Social Development Minister Paula Bennett announced the first Children's Team will be trialled in Rotorua to local community groups today. "A vital initiative in the White Paper will be local Children's Teams that bring professionals together to make individualised plans for vulnerable...

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Justice Minister Judith Collins rejects comments made today by the former chair of the Expert Reference Group on Family Court reform, Antony Mahon. Ms Collins says recommendations made by the Expert Reference Group have been helpful in forming the Government’s proposals for reform, but...

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Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson announced today that owners of retirement village units will soon be entitled to the original capital sum of their investment following situations such as the Canterbury earthquakes. "I have made an important variation to the...

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Social Development Minister Paula Bennett has released the White Paper for Vulnerable Children today at the Jigsaw national conference in Wellington. "We will target support and services to our most vulnerable children through more than 30 new initiatives introduced in the White...

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Social Development Minister Paula Bennett expects the independent investigation into Work and Income computer systems to give the public assurances that security is robust and private information is safe. “I’m deeply disappointed information which should have been secure has been...

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The Law Council today welcomed the release of the Legal Australia Wide (LAW) Survey and called on Commonwealth, state and territory governments to address widespread unmet legal need in Australia. The LAW Survey—the most comprehensive survey of its kind in the world—provides the...

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The New Zealand Law Society’s Council has elected Auckland lawyer Chris Moore to be the Law Society’s next President. Mr Moore will become President in April 2013, succeeding Jonathan Temm who will then have been President for three years. Read more

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The Supreme Court released its decision on the Spencer on Byron case yesterday. It has thwarted the most recent council attempt to avoid liability for leaky commercial buildings. The case relates to the Spencer on Byron hotel and apartment complex in Takapuna. The former North Shore City...

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A US judge has denied a motion by lawyers for file-sharing service Megaupload to dismiss criminal copyright charges against the company. Megaupload's lawyers had argued that the US Department of Justice had not properly served the company with the charges against it, but Judge Liam O'Grady, in...

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The government has received the second part (volume 4 of 7) of the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Building Failure Caused by Canterbury Earthquakes, addressing practice and policy issues relating to earthquake-prone buildings, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced...

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The New Zealand Law Society has welcomed a number of the proposed changes to the Legal Assistance (Sustainability) Bill announced by Justice Minister Judith Collins. “From the outset the Law Society has expressed its concern at the possible impact some of the Bill’s provisions will...

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The Government has announced changes to proposed legislation aimed at tackling large increases in legal aid costs, while ensuring people have adequate access to justice services. Legal aid expenditure rose from $111 million in 2006/07 to $173 million in 2009/10 – an increase of 56 per...

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The Commerce Commission today released the findings of its annual competition review of backhaul services for the unbundled copper local loop (UCLL), unbundled copper low frequency (UCLF) and unbundled bitstream access (UBA). Backhaul services provide telecommunications companies with access...

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The Commerce Commission has today released new information disclosure requirements for suppliers of electricity distribution services and gas pipeline services. Under the new requirements, regulated businesses will publicly disclose information about investment and innovation, financial...

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Date : 02 Nov 12-05 Nov 12 Time : 4:00 PM-5:00 PM Location : Auckland, New Zealand The New Zealand members of the Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA) are proud to be hosting the annual mid-year meeting of the Council of the IPBA in Auckland from Friday 2 November to Monday 5 November...

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Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has announced an important milestone in the Government’s residential red zone offer process, with more than 6000 of 7860 property owners having signed agreements to sell their property to the Crown. “This is an overwhelming...

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Justice Minister Judith Collins has today announced changes to the Legal Assistance (Sustainability) Amendment Bill to incorporate the benefits gained by reforming the Family Court. In February this year, the Government asked the Justice and Electoral Select Committee to defer its...

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Proposed rules around the reporting of KiwiSaver funds have gone out for public consultation announced Commerce Minister Craig Foss today. The draft KiwiSaver periodic disclosure regulations would require KiwiSaver schemes to report information on returns, fees and costs, assets and portfolio...

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Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson has today confirmed the introduction of a new starting-out wage that will help provide young New Zealanders with more opportunities to get into the workforce. Speaking at the launch of the Government's Skilled and Safe Workplaces Progress Report, Ms Wilkinson...

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Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has today announced the parameters of the review of Port Hills land zoning. As with the flat land, this review will look at the boundaries used to identify residential red and green zones. In the Port Hills zone boundaries have been drawn...

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Primary Industries Minister David Carter has welcomed today's announcement of another successful Primary Growth Partnership bid which lifts the total allocated to around $600 million. PGP is to fund nearly half of a $14.6 million programme led by PGG Wrightson Seeds to develop new pasture and...

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A new rule that raises the upper limit for the mandatory use of child restraints is a sensible move to help keep more of our children safe on the roads, says Associate Minister of Transport Simon Bridges. “International and local research shows that in the event of a crash, young school...

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In 2007 the UK introduced alternative business structures for legal practice. This allowed law firms to expand their offerings to consumers and to be managed and owned by non-lawyers. As a result, new legal practices have adopted now well recognised names such as the Co-op. Sole practitioner...

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Following a lengthy trade mark battle, the makers of Cadbury chocolate have won a battle to protect the distinctive purple used on its wrapping paper. Its rival, Nestle had argued that colours could not be practically trademarked. The UK High Court ruling means that the particular shade of purple...

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Dozens of jobs will be lost in a wide-ranging district court shake-up in which four courts will be closed, nine will have their hours slashed and two tiers of management will have to reapply for new positions. Court staff were told of the proposals at meetings throughout the country this...

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The use of renewable energy is helping keep down New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions, a new report has found. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s 2012 New Zealand Energy Greenhouse Gas report, released today, reveals a two percent drop in emissions from the...

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In July 2012, the Auditor-General received a request to investigate a range of concerns about governance and financial management at the Hamilton City Council. In particular, the request referred to issues identified by Audit New Zealand in its October 2011 report on the Council’s...

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Courthouses are important hubs in many communities. Any decisions to close them or set restricted operating hours must take account of the public interest in ensuring that access to justice is maintained, the New Zealand Law Society says. Law Society courthouse spokesperson Iain Hutcheson has...

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Commerce Minister Craig Foss has asked the Commerce Select Committee to examine competition regimes for international shipping and international civil aviation. Earlier this year, the New Zealand Productivity Commission released its report into International Freight Transport Services, which...

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Revenue Minister Peter Dunne announced today that Cabinet had made its final decisions on the suggestions outlined in the April 2012 issues paper Recognising salary trade-offs as income. “We have listened to public submissions and the proposed new rules are now narrower than...

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Prime Minister and Minister Responsible for the Government Communications Security Bureau John Key this morning released the results of a full review of GCSB files conducted by Director Ian Fletcher. Since 17 September, the date on which Mr Fletcher advised the Prime Minister of the illegal...

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Courts Minister Chester Borrows today announced changes to the District Court network, as part of efforts to modernise court operations. “With crime falling to record lows and the number of people coming to court decreasing, we are taking the opportunity to improve how the 63 District...

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The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) today said two recent surveys highlighted the positive impact rebuilding the SFO has had in helping to bring back public confidence in New Zealand's financial markets. Independent research conducted by MMResearchTM Limited surveyed complainants and victims of...

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The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) announced today that it has laid 33 charges in the Auckland District Court against Paul Michael Normington (33) and Jin Weifeng (28), for Crimes Act and Secret Commissions Act offences. Mr Normington and Mr Weifeng are jointly facing charges of theft, dishonestly...

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FMA completes licensing of Securities Trustees and Statutory Supervisors The Financial Markets Authority (FMA) has today concluded the licensing process for Securities Trustees and Statutory Supervisors with decisions on three further applicants. Corporate Trust Limited has been granted a...

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Many small courts are underused, with their courtrooms sitting empty 80% of the time. Decisions are needed on a number of small courts temporarily closed last year due to the risk they pose the public in a earthquake. The main change will be to use courts for hearings and to deliver other...

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The Law Society has questioned whether the consultation and policy evaluation undertaken so far on registration of .nz domain names at the second level has been sufficiently rigorous. In its comments on the Domain Name Commission Ltd consultation paper “Proposed Registration of .nz...

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The New Zealand Law Society says the proposed Register of Pecuniary Interests of Judges Bill should not proceed. “A register of judges’ pecuniary interests is unnecessary as the existing law relating to Judges’ conflicts of interest is adequate,” Law Society...

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Consumer Affairs Minister Simon Bridges has today welcomed a select committee report on the Consumer Law Reform Bill. “I want to acknowledge the Commerce Select Committee which has done a comprehensive job of reviewing the complex draft legislation and considering a wide range of views...

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Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee says compensation agreements worth up to $38 million have been signed between the owners of the Rena and the Crown. Under the agreements Daina Shipping will pay compensation of $27.6 million to the Crown for costs incurred in clean-up after the ship grounded...

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ACC Minister Judith Collins and Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson today announced the Government’s plans to introduce a Safety Star Rating system to make the good safety records of businesses more visible. Ms Collins says the voluntary system, currently being developed by ACC and the...

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Courts Minister Chester Borrows announced today that people can now lodge claims and counterclaims with the Disputes Tribunal and pay their fee online. “In a digital world, New Zealanders expect to access information and services via the internet, with all the convenience and speed that...

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Legislation to ensure a fitting National War Memorial Park will be developed at the National War Memorial site in Wellington in time for Anzac Day 2015 was passed by the House tonight. The National War Memorial Park (Pukeahu) Empowering Bill allows the creation a unified National War Memorial...

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Lease inducement payments by commercial landlords to tenants will be made taxable, but with some important changes as a result of the recent consultation process, Revenue Minister Peter Dunne announced today. Changes to the initial proposal to tax lease inducement payments include:...

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Revenue Minister Peter Dunne said today that the Government will move swiftly to tighten the rules relating to financial arrangements. Mr Dunne said the current rules have a loophole that can allow an unfair tax deduction for what are, in real terms, capital amounts. “The rules allow...

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Prime Minister and Minister Responsible for the GCSB John Key today released the report of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Hon Paul Neazor into the unlawful interception of communications of certain individuals involved in the Megaupload case. “I welcome this report,...

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