News and views

It was quite the surreal situation ... the former Prime Minister in the dock – not as a star witness, but as a defendant. How paradoxical that such an accomplished luminary – someone who’d once run the entire country – was accused of failing so terribly in her governance of a construction company.

If you’re in business and employ staff, there is a raft of newly-implemented and incoming employment changes – and, you need to be not only across them, but actively prepared.

A 2018 Court of Appeal decision[1] has made a director liable for almost $500,000 of company debt due to the company’s failure to keep adequate accounting records.

The recent collapses of construction companies have taken many in the industry by surprise, particularly subcontractors who were owed retention moneys.

Your business is growing and heading in the right direction – but at the same time you have new responsibilities and risks.

Employers have a thousand new reasons to ensure all employment agreements are in writing as of May 6.

In light of recent difficulties in the construction industry, not taking protective measures opens subcontractors up to recovery and enforcement issues. If you are a subcontractor, you should think about how to prevent your tools and equipment (including cranes and scaffolding) from being seized and sold by a receiver, and to ensure you have the best chance of getting paid.

One of the perennial problems that farmers face is that of stock wandering or stock getting out and interfering with, or causing damage to, neighbouring properties. Generally speaking, the issue of having a small number of stock grazing on your land for a short time until they are put back in the neighbour’s property may not be too great a concern.