Insight / Environment & Planning National Policy Statement for Natural Hazards (NPS-NH): what you need to know New Zealand communities, including the places people live, their property and supporting infrastructure, have been (and continue to be) developed in locations or in ways which mean they are at high risk from natural hazards. Cyclones, flooding and slips keep delivering the same message – the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) has not delivered acceptable natural hazard management outcomes. Read more
Insight / Dispute Resolution Decision emphasises importance of defining scope of arbitrator’s jurisdiction In Galbraith v Global Metal Solutions Limited [2026] NZHC 382, the High Court considered whether an arbitrator retained jurisdiction to determine a new but related dispute that arose after he had issued his awards on the matters originally before him. Read more
Insight / Environment & Planning Fast-track approvals: making your comment count If you have been invited to comment on a fast-track application, you will want to make the most of the opportunity. The fast-track approvals process moves quickly, and Panels operate under significant time pressures with an enormous volume of information. A well-crafted comment can make a real difference to outcomes, but only if it is directed at the right issues and in the right way. Read more
News / Firm Wynn Williams announces senior associate and associate promotions Wynn Williams is delighted to announce the promotion of nine lawyers from across the Firm, in both the Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and Ōtautahi Christchurch offices. Read more
Insight / Construction Fuel crisis: how rising fuel costs affect construction projects and contracts The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East have sent fuel prices sharply upward in recent weeks, with diesel in New Zealand rising at more than double the rate of standard grade petrol. For construction projects, where fuel is a significant cost across the whole supply chain, the impact is being felt quickly and acutely. Owners and contractors across New Zealand are grappling with how these increased costs should be allocated, and what their contractual rights and obligations are in the current environment. Read more
News / Firm Four partners promoted at Wynn Williams Wynn Williams is delighted to announce the promotion of four new partners – Christina Twyman, Danita Ferreira, Katherine Binsted and Kate Bradley – as of 1 April 2026. Their appointment brings the number of Wynn Williams partners to 29. Read more
