Compliance & legal stories
Business faces a faster, narrower consenting regime as ministers unveil bills to replace the RMA by mid-2026.
Business leaders say the overhaul could speed up planning, cut costs and improve housing and infrastructure delivery, but local councils face uncertainty.
The planned tie-up would give New Zealand clients wider access to Dentons’ global legal talent and broader regional reach early next year.
It should reduce underinvestment, congestion and water problems by giving New Zealand’s infrastructure planning and procurement a more independent voice.
Occupants and managers are being warned that blocked exits, deferred maintenance and poor compliance can leave everyday buildings unsafe.
A cloud-based compliance platform is giving the NZ Transport Agency, Auckland Council and contractor a single live view of consents on the $709.5m motorway.
Low-income households are being left behind by disaster advice that assumes everyone can afford food, water and survival kits.
Businesses want more roads, rail and broadband investment, but most doubt the current plan will deliver the best economic outcomes.
National organisations were praised for embedding risk into strategy as NZ Police and NZ Cricket took top honours at RiskNZ’s awards.
Strong productivity gains lifted KiwiRail to a $52 million underlying surplus despite a $40 million hit from the Kaikoura earthquake.
Transport bottlenecks and planning delays are among the pressures driving calls for more infrastructure investment across New Zealand.
Owners face tighter deadlines and public disclosure as councils begin flagging earthquake-prone buildings under new national rules.
House buyers in Auckland could be paying about GBP £530,000 extra because land use rules are inflating prices, a government-backed report says.
A government-commissioned report says land rules may account for up to 56 per cent of an average home's price, worsening affordability.
Protected conservation land cannot be flooded for the proposed Ruataniwha Dam, leaving Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s $900 million scheme in doubt.
Auckland Council, Veolia and Dobbe have been fined after poor communication over truck maintenance led to the death of 19-year-old Jane Devonshire.
