Commercial business law

KiwiSaver is on track for a 1 July 2007 start date
In the most significant development for New Zealand savings and superannuation in decades, the KiwiSaver Act 2006 was passed last year. Some believe that this is the first step in the direction of Australia's much vaunted compulsory superannuation. 

Annual Leave: what to do when four turns to five
Matt McGoldrick, a member of Bell Gully's employment law team, takes a look at where employers will be after 1 April 2007 when changes to the Holidays Act 2003 boost the statutory minimum annual leave from three weeks to four weeks. He predicts that the change will not be a holiday for employers!

When does a joint venture become more than just a possibility between parties?
Hot on the heels of the Supreme Court's decision in Chirnside v Fay (reported in the Spring 2006 issue of Commercial Quarterly) a High Court case notes that for fiduciary obligations to arise in a commercial joint venture, there must be evidence of more than mutual trust and respect between the parties.

Government is considering whether to join the 1994 WTO Government Procurement Agreement
The Ministry of Economic Development is calling for business input into whether New Zealand businesses are currently encountering discriminatory access barriers in overseas government markets. Accession to the WTO Government Procurement Agreement is seen as being of particular value to New Zealand exporters in high-tech sectors.

Enquiries and information

For more information on any of the cases, articles and features in Commercial Quarterly, please email Diane Graham or call her on 64 9 916 8849.