News & Insights

Local Government in New Zealand, and the funding of infrastructure, is poised for a busy year in 2026.  Key to this is the planned replacement of Development Contributions with a new Development Levies system proposed through the Local Government (Infrastructure Funding) Amendment Bill (LG Infrastructure Funding Bill).  The LG Infrastructure Funding Bill is part of…

If your council is working on reshaping your Land Information Memorandum (LIM) template to align with the updated Local Government and Official Information Act 1987 (LGOIMA) natural hazard requirements, take comfort: almost every council across the country is in the same boat. The recent changes around natural hazard disclosure have prompted a nationwide rethink of…

With the local government elections now behind us, councils across the motu are working through inductions, briefings, and the first meetings of the new triennium.  It’s a period of adjustment, with new faces around the table and returning members settling back into the rhythm of governance. It’s also an ideal moment to pause and consider…

The High Court has revoked the off-licence of a bottle store at a contentious South Auckland site following an appeal brought by the Auckland Alcohol Licencing Inspector (Inspector).  The case of Singh 13 Investments Limited [2025] NZHC 2868 concerned a Thirsty Liquor located in Māngere East, a vulnerable community known to have high levels of…

We’re delighted to welcome Charlene to Rice Speir as Special Counsel in our Civil Team.  She brings extensive expertise in litigation, particularly defective building claims, and a proven track record in resolving complex disputes.  Charlene has a particular interest in major latent defect litigation and has acted in high-stakes proceedings involving structural and fire defects.…

As part of its commitment to overarching resource management reform, the Government recently passed into law the Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Act 2025 (Amendment Act) which introduces significant reforms to the compliance and enforcement framework of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA). These reforms, most of which came into force on…

New Zealand is set to transform its approach to earthquake-prone buildings (EPBs), with the Government announcing a major overhaul to make the EPB system more risk-based, proportionate, and workable for both building owners and local councils.  The changes could see thousands of buildings removed from the system, especially in Auckland, Northland and the Chatham Islands.…

As the song goes, there is a season for everything, and lately at Rice Speir it seems like we’re in the season of road stopping.  From advice on implementation, disputes and drafting new precedent templates, we’re seeing common challenges emerge.  We thought it was an opportune time to set out the key legal pathways and…

In the wake of the 2024 Court of Appeal decision in Telford, there has been uncertainty as to whether a destruction order for a dog can be made where a defendant has been granted a discharge without conviction. That uncertainty has been resolved in the recent decision of the Court of Appeal in Xing v…

One of the key amendments introduced by the Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Act 2024 (Amendment Act) is a “stop” on planning instruments until 31 December 2027. The amendment marks one of the most disruptive changes for councils in recent years.  The reason for this?  The Government’s view is that much of the…