News and views

It’s three years since the much-publicised Family Court reforms were introduced – and the changes are still taking some families by surprise.

If you ask people, as I have, what they understand a family lawyer’s key role to be, chances are the answer will revolve around filing oodles of divorce applications – something I, indeed, do … every now and then.

Recent surveys show the skilled worker shortage is one the biggest concerns for employers in the Central Otago-Lakes area, with the farming, hospitality and tourism sectors particularly reliant on migrants to meet their staffing needs.

Recently, I wrote a piece on one of the biggest neighbourly niggles around – fences.

Few acts in our lifetime require more trust than giving another person the right to legally act on our behalf. And, there can be few more onerous responsibilities than taking on that significant duty.

There’s no doubting it, the Airbnb phenomenon has truly bedded in, and, much like Facebook, is such an intrinsic part of modern-day culture, it’s hard to believe it launched less than a decade ago.

There’s a clear commercial advantage that land has over many other saleable goods. They’re not making any more of it.

After the mad rush to March 31, for many businesses – especially those in our parts who are hectic during the snow season – this is a great time to take stock, and consider some of those “should dos” that tend to slide off the radar as the new financial year picks up speed.