News and views

One of the perennial problems that farmers face is that of stock wandering or stock getting out and interfering with, or causing damage to, neighbouring properties. Generally speaking, the issue of having a small number of stock grazing on your land for a short time until they are put back in the neighbour’s property may not be too great a concern.

It’s an exciting time watching your business really take off and hit its straps – although, that excitement is usually balanced by the reality of the new challenges and responsibilities that invariably come with growth.

With record-breaking real estate prices in and around the Upper Clutha and wider Queenstown Lakes District, it’s not surprising so many property owners have swarmed to peer-to-peer accommodation platforms, like Airbnb, to reap the rewards.

While most people are aware they need a Will, and might have given clear directions as to how they wish their business duties to be dealt with after they pass, many don’t give a second thought to how their business would fare if they were suddenly mentally incapacitated.

When your employee becomes ill, or has an injury, with long-term effects, it takes not only a toll on them of course, but also on you as their employer as there is sometimes quite a disruption to your business.

While we would love to completely eradicate inappropriate behaviour at staff Christmas parties, unfortunately there is no fool-proof course of action that employers and managers can take to guarantee everything stays above board.

We’ve received several requests lately to provide a heads up on what happens when one property owner damages another party’s land. Where do responsibilities and obligations begin and end, we’ve been asked. And, not surprisingly, the big question: who pays?

It never fails to amaze me that there are people who take up governance roles without one iota of due diligence on the organisation or apprising themselves of the many, varied and weighty responsibilities all directors – regardless of the company’s size or its line of business – sign up for.