Regulatory - Insights & Opinion

New Zealand’s Resource Management Reform: Understanding the 2025 Amendment Act’s Transformative Changes to Fines and Insurance Coverage

Introduction The resource management landscape in New Zealand has undergone a seismic shift with the recent passage of the Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Act 2025,...

10.09.2025 Posted in Regulatory

Forestry in 2023: Things to look out for this year

Our Forestry team considers a few things to look out for this year in the legal landscape of one of New Zealand’s most important industries: Developments in land use management regime applicable to...

28.02.2023 Posted in Forestry & Health & Safety & Regulatory & Trade and Transport

Commerce Commission study announced for building supplies market

The Commerce Commission is set to undertake a market study into residential building supplies for major components of residential buildings

24.11.2021 Posted in Construction & Corporate & Commercial & Regulatory

‘Tis the season … to comply with the Fair Trading Act

Retailers will be seeking to make the most of in-store trading reopening, particularly in Auckland.

23.11.2021 Posted in Corporate & Commercial & Regulatory

Review of Anti-Money Laundering law is underway

The Ministry of Justice is carrying out a statutory review of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2013 (Act) to consider: how it has performed since it was introduced ...

19.11.2021 Posted in Corporate & Commercial & Regulatory

Court of Appeal Overturns Employment Court’s Decision on Discretionary Bonuses in Holiday Pay

The Court of Appeal has overturned the decision of the Full Court of the Employment Court about when employer bonuses are included within holiday pay. The key is whether the employer is contractually bound to pay the bonus.

27.10.2021 Posted in Employment & Regulatory

Penalties imposed for a single phone call attempting to enter a price-fixing agreement

The High Court in Commerce Commission v Specialised Container Services (Christchurch) Ltd recently imposed pecuniary penalties under the Commerce Act 1986 (the Act) for an attempt to enter into a pric...

07.10.2021 Posted in Corporate & Commercial & Regulatory

How low can you go? Commerce Commission’s prosecution against Bunnings dismissed

The District Court recently dismissed the Commerce Commission’s case against Bunnings for alleged misleading and deceptive representations under the Fair Trading Act 1986 (FTA). In dismissing the Co...

01.10.2021 Posted in Disputes & Regulatory

Regulators do not “bend” on AML/CFT compliance: Financial Markets Authority v CLSA Premium Limited

Earlier this month, the High Court released its decision in Financial Markets Authority v CLSA Premium New Zealand Limited.

23.09.2021 Posted in Corporate & Commercial & Regulatory

AML/CFT guidance with the High Court’s decision in Reserve Bank of New Zealand and TSB Bank Limited

On 31 August 2021, the High Court of Wellington released its decision on the Reserve Bank of New Zealand v TSB Bank Limited.

09.09.2021 Posted in Corporate & Commercial & Regulatory

How much does one truly deserve?

A critical analysis of the New Zealand and Australian High Courts' approach to quantum meruit claims within the construction industry

06.09.2021 Posted in Construction & Regulatory

All about the evidence: Recent Supreme Court decision confirms extrinsic evidence rules and implication of contractual terms

The Supreme Court’s recent decision in Bathurst Resources Ltd v L & M Coal Holdings Ltd provides important guidance on the approach to the use and admissibility of extrinsic evidence for contractual interpretation and the test for implication of contractual terms.

02.09.2021 Posted in Corporate & Commercial & Regulatory

Spotlight on the Retail Grocery Sector: Commerce Commission releases preliminary results from its market study into the Retail Grocery Sector

The retail grocery sector has garnered considerable publicity in recent times. Lockdown has intensified scrutiny on the pricing strategies and structures adopted by retailers in this sector. This follows on the back of the Commerce Commissions broader investigation of competition issues within the sector.

01.09.2021 Posted in Corporate & Commercial & Regulatory

COVID-19 AML/CFT Guidance and Annual Report Extension

In a recent statement by the Financial Markets Authority, the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (together, the Supervisors), it was agreed that the submission da...

31.08.2021 Posted in Corporate & Commercial & Regulatory

How to break up with a suspected money launderer: High Court Guidance

The High Court has provided guidance on how to end a business relationship with a suspected money launderer.

15.04.2021 Posted in Corporate & Commercial & Regulatory

New ICC Arbitration Rules 2021 come into force

The revised International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Arbitration Rules for 2021 (2021 Rules) have now come into force and apply to all ICC arbitrations begun after 1 January 2021. While the new Rules...

10.03.2021 Posted in Disputes & Regulatory

The Commerce Commission is set to undertake a market study into the Retail Grocery Sector

On 17 November 2020 the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs announced a market study into the retail grocery sector through the Commerce Commission under Part 3A of the Commerce Act 1986 (Act).�...

23.11.2020 Posted in Corporate & Commercial & Regulatory & Trade and Transport

Privacy Act 2020: new obligations to report privacy breaches

The Privacy Act 2020 creates a new requirement to report serious privacy breaches, as from 1 December 2020.

25.09.2020 Posted in Corporate & Commercial & Employment & Regulatory

High Court recognizes “property” in cryptocurrency

Introduction Last week the High Court issued its decision in Ruscoe & Moore v Cryptopia Ltd (in liquidation) [2020] NZHC 728. The decision is notable, being the first of its kind in New Zealan...

16.04.2020 Posted in Regulatory

Complaints are on the rise: A snapshot of complaints made to the Commerce Commission

The Commerce Commission (Commission) has recently released a snapshot of the complaints it has received in the year to 30 June 2019. A copy of the Commission’s report can be viewed here. The snaps...

25.11.2019 Posted in Regulatory

Unfair Contract Terms: High Court issues its first declaration

On 12 November 2019 the High Court issued its first declaration under the Fair Trading Act 1986 (FTA) that terms in a standard form consumer contract are unfair.[1] The Commerce Commission (Commiss...

14.11.2019 Posted in Regulatory

Arbitration Act 1996 – Reconstructing the Agreement to Arbitrate

The recent stream of alternate dispute resolution methods is part of the zeitgeist where disputants are shying away from Courts and attempting to settle their differences outside the Courtroom steps. ...

09.07.2014 Posted in Disputes & Regulatory