News

Justice Minister Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Robert Kee as the Director of Human Rights Proceedings. Mr Kee’s appointment follows the expiration of term of the incumbent Director, Mr Robert Hesketh. The Office of Human Rights Proceedings is an independent body...

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When a judge falls asleep on the job, it is almost inevitable it will find its way into the media.Two Australian doctors researched the case of the sleeping justices and wrote a paper for a medical journal about it. But it is not only judges who may be vulnerable to an unintentional courtroom...

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The England and Wales Bar Standards Board is shortly to introduce a Bar Course Aptitude Test. It will help select students for the Bar professional training course which would be barristers must take. However it is uncertain whether the test will successfully select the correct candidates. This...

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The Scottish governments plans to introduce legislation to legalise same-sex marriages in church and civil ceremonies. Gay and lesbian couples will have the same rights to marry as heterosexual couples. However there will be significant new protections and "conscience clauses" for...

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A bankrupt has been sentenced to 262.5 hours of community service for managing companies without permission. Grant Norman King was sentenced in Waitakere District Court today, after pleading guilty in June to two charges of managing a business without the consent of the Official Assignee....

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A Bill that overhauls financial reporting rules and cuts compliance costs for small and medium-sized companies has been introduced by Commerce Minister Craig Foss. The Financial Reporting Bill was introduced to Parliament today. A Supplementary Order Paper has also been released. “The...

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Courts Minister Chester Borrows today announced a targeted review of the coronial system and the Coroners Act 2006. “In many respects the coronial system is working well. However, after speaking with coroners and families, I am conscious that there may be room for further...

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Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Trade Minister Tim Groser today announced the appointment of Andrew Ferrier to the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Board. Mr Ferrier has been appointed as Chair, for a three-year term commencing November 2012. He is the former Chief Executive of...

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Health Minister Tony Ryall today announced Wairarapa DHB Chair Bob Francis has been appointed as a member of the Capital & Coast District Health Board (DHB). “Mr Francis has a strong background in business and governance, together with extensive community experience,” said Mr...

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The Law Society has identified a number of important issues which are raised by proposed amendments to the Corrections Amendment Bill 2012 made in a draft Supplementary Order Paper attached to the Law and Order Committee’s interim report. The Law Society says the proposed amendments...

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The New Zealand Law Society submission The Real Estate Agents Authority review of the Professional Conduct and Client Care Rules Read more

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The Commerce Commission has published a statement of preliminary issues relating to an application from Vodafone New Zealand Limited seeking clearance to acquire 100% of the equity in TelstraClear New Zealand Limited. The statement of preliminary issues outlines the key competition issues that...

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The High Court has ordered Korean Air Lines Co. Limited (Korean Air) and Emirates to pay penalties of $3.5 million and $1.5 million respectively for breaches of the Commerce Act. Korean Air has admitted liability in the Commerce Commission’s air cargo price fixing case for agreeing fuel...

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The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has today confirmed that Chief Executive, Adam Feeley has accepted the position of Queenstown Lakes District Council Chief Executive. An exact date for Mr Feeley's departure has not been set, but it is expected to be within the next three months. Read more

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In April 2012, the Auditor-General was asked to investigate a number of issues relating to Te Raukura, the wharewaka built on Wellington's waterfront. The Crown provided some of the funds for building the wharewaka. The Trust that runs it (the Wharewaka O Poneke Charitable Trust) also has an...

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The Government has this afternoon received the Waitangi Tribunal’s interim direction on a Māori Council claim regarding fresh water and geothermal resources, State Owned Enterprises Minister Tony Ryall says. “In the coming days, ministers will receive advice from officials to help...

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The Financial Markets Authority has today welcomed the guilty verdict of National Finance director Carol Braithwaite. Ms Braithwaite was this morning found guilty on one charge of making untrue statements in a prospectus for National Finance 2000 Ltd. FMA Head of Enforcement Belinda Moffat...

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Ministerial consent has been granted to Solid Energy’s purchase of Pike River Coal Limited’s assets, giving effect to the transfer of its mining permits. Two permits have been transferred; a coal mining permit (CMP 41453) and a petroleum exploration permit (PEP 38517; for coal seam...

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The Scott Guy case could be the subject of an inquest similar to the one held for the Kahui twins - which resulted in a coroner pointing the finger of blame at the babies' father. The Herald understands a coronial inquest into the shooting death of Mr Guy is likely, but a final decision may be...

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The House today unanimously passed four bills giving effect to historical Treaty of Waitangi settlements for the Maraeroa A and B blocks, Ngāti Mākino, Rongowhakaata and Ngai Tāmanuhiri. “The government is committed to fixing the injustices of the past through negotiation with...

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Internal Affairs Minister Chris Tremain today announced the reappointment of two members of the Gambling Commission – Graeme Reeves as Chief Gambling Commissioner and Paul Stanley as Gambling Commissioner. Both Commissioners’ terms are for three years. “The reappointments...

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Auckland lawyer Sarah Janine Katz has been appointed a Judge of the High Court, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today. Justice Katz graduated from the University of Otago in 1987 and went on to complete an LLM at the University of London, graduating in 1992. Read more

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Justice Christine Ruth French has been appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal, Attorney General Christopher Finlayson announced today. In 2008 Justice French was appointed a Judge of the High Court, based in Christchurch. She graduated from the University of Otago in 1981 and went on to...

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Justice Susan Glazebrook has been appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today. Justice Glazebrook has been a Judge of the Court of Appeal since May 2002. Before being appointed to the High Court in June 2000, she was a partner in the law firm...

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Internal Affairs Minister Chris Tremain today announced the reappointment of Nicola McCully as the Deputy Chief Censor of Film and Literature for a further three-year term. “The reappointment will maintain the organisational capability of the Office of Film and Literature Classification...

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Revenue Minister Peter Dunne has welcomed the release today of an Inland Revenue tax policy consultation paper on tax issues around cash payments made by commercial landlords to tenants. The paper, The taxation of lease inducement payments, suggests that such payments, known as lease...

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A bill on whether to legalise gay marriage is to go before Parliament. The bill, submitted by Labour MP Louisa Wall and aimed at legalising same-sex marriage, has been drawn from the Members Bill Ballot. It was one of five drawn from a pool of 62 bills. The principal Marriage Act 1955...

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On 24 July 2012 the Law Society’s Otago Lawyers Standards Committee conducted a hearing into two complaints against Mr John Milne. Mr Milne practised on his own account in Dunedin for many years, but since 2008 had been employed by Craig Paddon Law, managing the firm’s Christchurch...

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The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) confirmed today that it is undertaking an investigation into Mr John David Milne. A complaint has been received from the New Zealand Law Society Otago Standards Committee regarding Mr Milne's activities around client funds. The Director has determined that...

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The Law Commission released the final report, The Public’s Right to Know: Review of the Official Information Legislation (NZLC R125, 2012) on 25 July 2012. The report evaluates how effective the Official Information Act 1982 and the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act...

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This half day seminar is designed to be of relevance to litigators at any level, practising in any jurisdiction. Litigators will be able to learn from the first hand experience of a distinguished panel. The programme will include: Hon Chief Justice Dame Sian Elias and Hon Justice...

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We are only a few generations away from the millennium of the Magna Carta. Arguably one of the great events in the establishment of civil and human rights, some say that the charter has been eroded over time, or in the words of eminent jurist William Blackstone, "the body of the charter has...

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The former chief of an organisation that specialised in housing law might be expected to join in the chorus of those decrying legal aid cuts in the UK. He does not deny that what is happening to legal aid will affect the ability of some of our poorest citizens to access the service of a...

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The New Zealand Law Society has welcomed the appointment of Michael Heron as Solicitor-General. Law Society President Jonathan Temm says Mr Heron is well known and highly regarded in the New Zealand legal profession. “Mr Heron has extensive experience in many areas of legal practice...

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A Bill designed to encourage pro-competitive collaboration passed its first reading in Parliament today, says Commerce Minister Craig Foss. “The Commerce (Cartels and Other Matters) Amendment Bill promotes economic growth by enabling pro-competitive collaboration between firms, while...

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A Bill aimed at tightening the criteria for company registration passed its first reading in parliament today, says Commerce Minister Craig Foss. The Companies and Limited Partnerships Amendment Bill requires every company registered in New Zealand to have an NZ-resident agent who will be held...

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Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says today’s decision by his Honour Justice Chisholm to grant an application by Independent Fisheries Limited and other land owners inside the 50 decibel noise contour line around Christchurch Airport won’t hinder recovery because...

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A Bill that delivers a more transparent and efficient dairy market passed its third and final reading in Parliament today. Primary Industries Minister David Carter says the Dairy Industry Restructuring Amendment Bill is a significant step to continuing a competitive and innovative dairy...

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An officials’ issues paper released today contains proposals which should help new immigrants and returning New Zealanders understand their tax obligations more clearly around their foreign superannuation entitlements, Revenue Minister Peter Dunne said today. It is proposed that from the...

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The Government and the Auckland Council signed a Heads of Agreement today to jointly form New Zealand’s first urban redevelopment company to transform Tamaki (including Glen Innes, Point England and Panmure) in Auckland over the next 15-25 years. Housing Minister Phil Heatley says that...

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Orders in Council have been made by Cabinet affecting different aspects of the student loan scheme, Revenue Minister Peter Dunne announced today. The Orders: increase the student loan repayment percentage require a borrower’s contact person’s details to be...

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A New Plymouth man convicted of employing an underage girl as a prostitute has had his final appeal dismissed by the Supreme Court. In August 2010, a New Plymouth District Court jury found Michael Hastie, 61, guilty of six charges relating to sex with a minor and employing an underage girl as...

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A District Court judge is being prosecuted over a dog attack and will appear in court next month. Judge Mary Beth Sharp's lawyer Michael Reed QC told APNZ that his client and her son were both being prosecuted for the alleged incident.... A Ministry of Justice spokesman told the newspaper...

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A Rotorua man who shot his partner's father in the face with a sawn-off shotgun has been sent to jail for 10 years. Cody James Fane, 21 appeared in the High Court at Rotorua this morning after pleading guilty last month to one count each of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, unlawful...

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Prime Minister John Key says estimates his loyalty scheme to sweeten state assets sales for investors could cost the taxpayer hundred of millions of dollars are "farcical'' and has suggested a $60 million to $80 million bill instead. Mr Key this confirmed that the loyalty bonus scheme for...

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A "loyalty" scheme to sweeten state assets sales for investors could cost the taxpayer $500 million - more than $100 for every man, woman and child in New Zealand - according to Treasury numbers. At the National Party conference at the weekend, Prime Minister John Key confirmed that...

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Two strong schools of thought are apparent from the initial analysis of 1,209 submissions to Wellington City Council on the question of local government reform in the region. Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown says the submissions show opinions from submitters are fairly evenly divided between...

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Auckland Council has spent $411,000 producing a glossy book about how it wants to create the world's most liveable city by 2040. The Auckland Plan has 380 pages as well as a 60-page addendum of projects, and makes much use of large colour pictures. The production cost - working out at $41 a...

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Waikato ratepayers are paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for legal advice sought by councils fighting each other and on issues from the V8s debacle down to cutting down mangroves. The Waikato's five largest councils - Hamilton City Council, Waikato Regional Council, Waipa District...

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A business has been reprimanded after asking a woman in a job interview whether she was getting married soon and wanted to have children. Advocacy groups for women in the workplace say it is still common for potential employers to ask such questions when assessing stability, but women are...

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