The Official Information Act (“the Act”) came into effect in 1982 in order to repeal the 1951 Official Secrets Act, with the purpose being to increase the availability of official information. Information that is governed by this Act is specified as information held by a department, a Minister of the Crown or an organization, as
The brightline property rule applies to properties purchased after 1 October 2015. It looks into what period the property was acquired and when it is being sold. If the property is sold after owning it for less than ten years, you may be obliged to pay income tax. The date that the land of the
Every child born in New Zealand receives a birth certificate including the details surrounding the time and place, who the parents are and the sex of the child. It has always been the base document for New Zealand citizens, a confirmation of their place in the world and in the system which subsequently relies on
Smoking cigarettes has always been permitted in New Zealand. In more recent times the health hazards that smoking poses have been well researched, documented and publicised Many policies have been put in place to lower the number of people who take up, or continue to, smoke. This includes education around how it affects health, including
Event organisers now have new legislation that allows for drug testing at concerts and festivals. Previously in New Zealand, drug testing organisations such as KnowYourStuffNZ have conducted tests at festivals with the risk of being prosecuted under section 12 of The Misuse of Drugs Act 1975. On 23 November 2021, Parliament passed the Drug and
Generally, a mother and father are referred to as the natural guardians of their child. Section 26 of the Care of Children Act 2004 provides that a testamentary guardian is a guardian appointed by deed or by will by a parent of a child. This article discusses further what a testamentary guardian is and what
The End of Live Choice Act 2019 came into effect in November 2021 (“the Act”). It establishes the framework for the process, the eligibility and safeguards for the service of assisted dying in New Zealand. It is overseen by the Ministry of Health Manatu Hauroa. Section 5 of the Act sets out the essential criteria
There are many ways to get involved in fighting climate change, but it can feel overwhelming not knowing where to start. For evolving businesses and individuals, the variety of options available are expanding. The legal framework for fighting climate change started with the 2015 Paris Agreement, a legally binding international treaty. The goal was to
The Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2019 (“RTAA”) was passed on 30 July 2019 and came into effect on 27 August 2019. The RTAA addresses key issues that have implications for both landlord and tenant, including: tenant liability for damage, insurance statements, contamination of premises and unlawful residential premises. Tenant liability for damage: The RTAA provides
Often when you are asked to be the executor of a will, you accept the role without truly knowing its parameters. While not wishing to deter anyone from accepting the responsibility to carry out this very important role, you must understand what it entails. When a member of the family or a close friend asks
