The case of the non-compliant swimming pool
The recent decision of Buchanan v Tasman District Council concerned determining whether (and to what extent) a Council could be held liable for a Code Compliance Certificate mistakenly having been issued on multiple occasions for a swimming pool at a residential property.
Hate Speech - What is it?
The term ‘hate speech’ does not appear in any New Zealand legislation. A general definition could be:
Any form of communication that is threatening, abusive or insulting to a serious degree against a group or a member of a group on the basis of a shared characteristic of that group such as religion, national origin, skin colour, race, etc.
Justified Dismissal - It can be done!
Employers are often exasperated and complain to us that it is impossible to dismiss someone while following all the rules – it’s not!!
Trial Periods - what you need to know
Trial periods can be a very useful tool for employers to see if their new hire is the right fit for the business, however, the rules around when and how to use trial periods can be tricky, and if you don’t get it right then you can end up in hot water.
Blended Families - Common Legal Issues
When family relationships are complex, it is really important to have clear, and effective ownership of property.
