Business Law Library & Tracker
Telecommunications, Media & Content
Networks, broadcasting, publications, classification and digital media.
Sources last reviewed 28 July 2026
Main law guides
157
Acts, regulations and codes worth reading first
Topics
60
Plain-English clusters
Published case explainers
96
Selected cases with a business lesson
Tracked updates
8
New, amended & reviewed
Plain-English explainers, not legal advice. Use the linked official source for section-level detail, and get advice for your situation.
Get legal helpMain laws
Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996
1996 No 30
Insolvency Act 2006
2006 No 55
Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003
2003 No 48
Farm Debt Mediation Act 2019
2019 No 73
Imports and Exports (Restrictions) Act 1988
1988 No 157
Major Events Management Act 2007
2007 No 35
Fuel Industry Act 2020
2020 No 60
Arms Act 1983
1983 No 44
Dairy Industry Restructuring Act 2001
2001 No 51
Fast-track Approvals Act 2024
2024 No 56
Gas Act 1992
1992 No 124
Resale Right for Visual Artists Act 2023
2023 No 59
Insurance Intermediaries Act 1994
1994 No 41
Broadcasting Act 1989
1989 No 25
Defamation Act 1992
1992 No 105
Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993
1993 No 94
Marine Insurance Act 1908
1908 No 112
Fire and Emergency New Zealand Act 2017
2017 No 17
Haka Ka Mate Attribution Act 2014
2014 No 18
Cases
Halse & Anor v Hamilton City Council
If your business settles an employment dispute through MBIE mediation, do not treat the record of settlement as a one-off document that fades away with time. In...
Insight New Zealand 2007 Ltd v Johnstone
For business owners, the main lesson is not that safety expectations are unimportant. It is that serious allegations need clear rules, a fair investigation and a...
Rooney Farms Limited v Stewart
If your business is thinking about challenging an Employment Relations Authority determination, do not assume that challenge buys you time on payment. It does not....
St Arnaud Alpine Store 2019 Ltd v Labour Inspector
For business owners, the durable lesson is about exposure rather than legal technicalities. If payroll, hours, leave, breaks and records are not properly managed, a...
Wilson Parking New Zealand Limited v Turner
The durable lesson from this case is procedural discipline. If your defence includes the point that someone else also caused the loss, do not wait until the...
The Chief Executive of Oranga Tamariki - Ministry for Children v Hill
Employers operating in high-risk environments, such as youth justice facilities, must ensure that their staff are well-trained in the use of force and understand...
YFR v Reserve Bank of New Zealand/Te Pūtea Matua
Employers must uphold good faith and natural justice obligations, especially when dealing with employees nearing the end of fixed-term agreements. This includes: -...
E Tū Inc v Singh
Employers and unions must ensure that disciplinary processes are conducted fairly, with clear reasons for dismissal and a genuine opportunity for employees to...
Television New Zealand Ltd v E Tū Incorporated
Employers must carefully follow the consultation and participation requirements in their collective agreements, especially when making significant changes such as...
Appleton v Tasman Cargo Airlines Pty Ltd
Employers must ensure that disciplinary investigations are conducted fairly and in line with both internal procedures and industry standards. In safety-critical...
Turner v Te Whatu Ora
Employers can justify dismissal for serious misconduct arising from social media posts if those posts damage the organisation’s reputation or breach codes of...
Debut Homes Ltd (in liquidation) v Cooper
A controlled wind-down still needs a lawful creditor plan. Directors should not keep trading merely because completion may improve the net position if the plan...
Mobil Oil NZ Ltd v Development Auckland Ltd
A general make-good clause may not allocate expensive contamination or structural remediation risk. Commercial leases for industrial or higher-risk sites should...
P (SC 87/2012) v Bridgecorp Ltd (In Receivership and in Liquidation)
If your business uses settlement deeds, payment plans or workout arrangements, this case is a reminder to draft enforcement documents carefully. A pre-signed...
Peterson Portable Sawing Systems Limited In Liquidation and Anor v Lucas and Anor
For business owners, the durable lesson is not about sawmills as such. It is about how fragile an intellectual property position can be if the legal claim is wider...