Court Finds Council Caused Coastal Erosion

What was it Robert Burns said about the best laid schemes of mice an' men?

The Tasman District Council might be reflecting upon the perils of best laid schemes following a recent Environment Court decision on an application for enforcement orders.

The stabilisation of coastal environments is such a tricky proposition that some think it should never be attempted, and the coastal form left to nature to determine. But local authorities quite frequently endeavour to stabilise or improve coastal amenities by building structures on the foreshore or seabed.

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Sleepovers - Workers Should Be Paid

Yesterday's Court of Appeal decision upheld an Employment Court ruling, which found that workers doing overnight sleepover shifts should be paid the adult minimum wage for every hour of the shift (currently $12.75 per hour).

After last year's Employment Court decision, the appellant, Idea Services (an IHC subsidiary), was placed in statutory management by the Government with tens of millions of dollars in backdated wages owing. In anticipation of yesterday's ruling, other providers took immediate steps to mitigate their loss by reducing their overheads and changing their remuneration arrangements. At the time, the Health Ministry said the ruling would cost between $400m and $500m to cover five years of back-pay for all providers.

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Still Potential for Change to the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Bill

Following consideration by the Maori Affairs Select Committee the Coastal Marine Area (Takutai Moana) Bill (Bill) has been returned to Parliament and is predicted to become legislation by the end of next month. A large number of submissions were received by the Committee on what was naturally a contentious piece of legislation attracting a high level of public scrutiny. However, it was the Select Committee's recommendation that the Bill be passed without amendment.

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Employment Law Changes – Is Your Business Ready?

And so we ready ourselves for another set of employment law changes, which come into effect on 1 April 2011. The Employment Relations Amendment Bill (No. 2) and Holidays Amendment Bill will require employers to review employment agreements and policies to bring them into line with the amendments. Here is a summary of these changes, together with our recommendations about the changes that you should (or could) make, depending on your business needs.

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