Connections
Conversations about local government issues, insights and views
Staying informed with relevant news and important developments is critical for us and our clients. We regularly publish insightful articles that discuss the world of local government, record podcasts with thought leaders, and facilitate networking events throughout New Zealand.
Floodgates
Flooding is one of the most common natural hazards in New Zealand. According to the Ministry for the Environment it is only likely to increase. Property owners and occupiers will usually have the benefit of insurance cover for flood events but this will not provide cover for certain damage which is explained below. Claims against…
Resource consent granted to remediate the Te Mata Peak walking track
In early 2019, Hastings District Council was granted resource consent to remediate the highly controversial track that was constructed without public notification on the eastern slope of Te Mata Peak in late 2017. Rice Speir represented the council (in its capacity as applicant) at the two day hearing before Independent Commissioners, Paul Cooney and Rauru…
Hefty fine imposed on farmer and director for pollution
A Waikato farmer, Mr Gurnam Singh, and his company B&B Singh Limited, have been convicted and fined a total of $63,000 for unlawfully discharging farm effluent into the environment at a farm in Morrinsville in August and September 2018. The fine is the latest in a long history of environmental breaches for Mr Singh. Judge…
Water water everywhere, but not a drop to drink
I have been dabbling in insurance law for the last 20 years and it is always a surprise to an insured how far reaching certain exclusions in a liability policy can appear to be. I would like to focus on some of these exclusions in this article and the next, to demystify how far reaching…
Breaking news – tiny house deemed to be a vehicle, not a building
This week the District Court has answered a question about whether a tiny house is a building or a vehicle. In Dall v the Chief Executive of MBIE (available for download by following the link here) Judge Callaghan disagreed with MBIE’s interpretation and set aside the determination together with the council’s notice to fix. The…
Values and innovation
by Fiona Bird I joined Rice Speir in June of this year as practice manager. My journey to this point has been varied and enriching. I spent 3 years at a large CBD law firm in a corporate services position and prior to that I enjoyed 18 months working in a boutique law practice in…
From the Coroner’s court to claims in tort
I joined Rice Speir as the firm’s newest member in July this year. Having previously worked as legal counsel at the Office of the Chief Coroner, I am well-versed at explaining what the Coroner’s Court is and what a coroner does. Coronial law – in brief Coronial law in New Zealand is governed by the…
To settle or not to settle
Soggy school books and bad behaviour has led to a double win for the Ministry of Education. A leaking high school in Botany, Auckland was the subject of lengthy trial in 2018 between the Ministry of Education and the builder Hawkins (more properly known as H Construction North Island Limited, which is now in liquidation).…
Tiny houses major headaches for councils
The tiny house movement has well and truly swept the country. It goes without saying that bringing affordable, warm and dry homes to the New Zealand market is a fantastic thing. However, what often gets overlooked are the issues that these houses create for councils. At a time of unprecedented growth, demand for people and…
Important reforms proposed for Building Act
Help is on its way for Building Act regulators. Central Government is proposing sweeping reforms to the Building Act – the most significant since it was introduced in 2004. MBIE has recognised the long-standing issues with the building regulatory system, many of which we have written about in Straight Up. It has started a consultation…