Company Law

Health board report has important messages for private sector too
The Director-General of Health established a Review Panel in July last year to consider issues relating to conflicts of interest that may have arisen at Hawke's Bay District Health Board (DHB). The panel released its report to the Director-General on 14 March 2008. While DHBs operate under a statutory framework that includes specific regulation of key governance issues, including the duties of Board members and disclosure obligations, there are strong parallels with the role of Board members in both the public and private sector. In this article, senior associate Stephen Layburn reviews the Hawke's Bay DHB report and considers its implications for governance in the corporate sector.

Debate continues on the legal consequences of amalgamations under Part 15
In the Summer 2008 issue of Commercial Quarterly we noted the Court of Appeal's decision in Elders New Zealand Limited v PGG Wrightson Limited dealing with the legal consequences on third party contracts of court ordered amalgamations under Part 15 of the Companies Act. However the Court of Appeal's decision may not be the final word on this topic.

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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.