Current FYIs
July 2010
FYIs are articles that consider current issues, law changes and significant court decisions. To suggest a topic for a future FYI, please click on the 'Suggest an FYI' page on the left hand navigation bar. To receive FYIs via email on your choice of topic, please click on 'register to receive our publications' at the end of this page.
FYI: Employment Law
The Government has announced a number of proposed changes to the Employment Relations Act and Holidays Act. Although the changes may positively impact on employers in a number of ways, for the most part they are not as drastic as some commentators are claiming. In the main, they are consistent with National’s pre-election promises...
FYI: Tax Update
Suppose your contract provides a GST-inclusive price for goods you supply. Can you pass on the GST increase to your customer, by raising the price? Or must you absorb the rise? Transitional issues like these will arise when the standard rate for GST increases from 12.5% to 15% from 1 October 2010...
FYI: Intellectual Property
The Patents Bill, which will provide a complete re-write and reform of New Zealand’s patent law, has been reported back from Parliament’s Commerce Select Committee and is heading for its second reading in Parliament. And in a new twist on the old fable, the Select Committee has added a few hare-like twists to this tortoise of a piece of legislation...
FYI: Financial Services
The Government announced significant changes to the new financial advisers' regime at the end of April 2010. These changes address many concerns raised with the proposed regime. The regime is not now due to be fully implemented until 30 June 2011. This FYI highlights the potential impact of the changes for the financial services industry.

