Insights

Insight What could changes to our earthquake-prone building systems mean for you?

Big changes could be coming for earthquake-prone buildings in New Zealand. Proposed reforms aim to cut red tape, shift to a more risk-based system, and potentially save building owners billions. For many, this could mean fewer buildings on the EPB register and far more affordable remediation. Grant Thornton partner Matt Hannah and Matt Williams from BMC Consult reveal what might this mean for your building’s value, rent, insurance or lending:

Matt Hannah

| 5 min read | 15 Dec 2025

Insight The retirement village construction conundrum: Lessons NZ could learn from Australia

You’ve heard it all before: Kiwi tradies are moving to Australia because they can earn far more money. But if wages are so much higher, why is construction cheaper in Australia?

Matt Thomson

| 5 min read | 20 Nov 2025

Insight SMEs and Not for Profits: How can you reduce your risk of fraud?

According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (“ACFE”), NFPs lose about 5% of revenue annually to fraud, and small businesses globally have an annual median loss to fraud of $200,000.

Jadene Windley

| 7 min read | 18 Nov 2025

Insight Resilience through people: Why culture is key to a successful construction sector

How can New Zealand’s construction sector invest in a more successful future when times have been so tough? Business leaders with the foresight to build people resilience now will be ready to profit as their pipelines begin to flow freely again.

6 min read | 17 Nov 2025

Insight Why the DIY investment approach is a false economy

If you’ve built your wealth through hard work and smart decisions, don’t risk it with a DIY investment approach. Doing it yourself often means missed opportunities, costly mistakes, and unnecessary stress.

Kylie Campbell

| 5 min read | 04 Nov 2025

Insight Pressure keeps rising for aged care operators – is this the ideal time to sell?

With rising costs, staff shortages and ageing facilities, pressure on New Zealand’s aged care operators keeps mounting. For some, consolidation could be the key to survival – and for others, now may be the ideal time to sell. Strategic mergers and acquisitions can strengthen the sector and ensure quality care for our growing elderly population.

| 5 min read | 16 Oct 2025

Insight What every employer needs to know about NZ’s biggest workplace reform in 20 years

New Zealand’s Holidays Act 2003 is finally getting a long-awaited overhaul. In this article we provide expert insight into what's changing for employers and their employees, and five key tips to help businesses with the upcoming transition.

7 min read | 30 Sep 2025

Insight Can civil construction escape the boom-and-bust cycle?

The civil construction industry has been hammered over the past two years. How can business owners escape this trap?

Matt Thomson

| 7 min read | 02 Sep 2025

Insight Modern digital resilience: Providing clarity in an age of disruption

Organisations face growing disruption, complex systems and evolving risks when it comes to managing technology. Here’s how to approach your pathway to resilience.

Robin Cockayne

| 4 min read | 02 Sep 2025

Insight Is this the ideal time to buy a commercial property?

Considering buying a commercial property in the next two years? By getting your ducks in a row early, you could save yourself hundreds of thousands of dollars. That was the message from the experts who spoke at a recent panel event, hosted by ANZ in Christchurch.

| 7 min read | 26 Aug 2025

Insight How IFRS is rewriting retirement villages’ financial reality in New Zealand

It’s been a long-held misconception that retirement village operators in New Zealand rake in excess profits—at least on paper. But a closer look reveals a different story.

David Pacey

| 4 min read | 05 Aug 2025

INSIGHT New tax clarity for mutual associations: Helpful guidance or costly compliance?

The rules around calculating a company’s taxable income are well established. But what if you’re a mutual association – a resident’s association, membership organisation or industry group (among others)?

| 5 min read | 07 Jul 2025

Insight Navigating US tariffs: Implications for NZ & Australian multinationals

The broader implications of tariffs for New Zealand and Australian multinational businesses exporting to the US are significant. This environment is incredibly dynamic as more tariffs and retaliatory measures are released almost daily.

Alejandro Ces

| 10 min read | 07 Jul 2025

Insight From numbers to strategy: The vCFO’s role in scaling Kiwi businesses

Without a dedicated CFO or finance team, how does a New Zealand business manage day-to-day accounting, stay compliant, identify opportunities for growth and mitigate risks? The answer for many is virtual CFO (vCFO) services.

Jay Desai

| 5 min read | 02 Jul 2025

INSIGHT Budget 2025

Our tax and industry experts have cut through the noise to focus on the most significant announcements in Budget 2025, and reveal what they mean for your business.

| 10 min read | 27 May 2025

Insight The impact of US fiscal policy on NZ financial reporting

Changes in the economic and fiscal policy priorities of the U.S. government together with the international response could have a significant, wide-ranging economic impact on entities in New Zealand, both directly and indirectly. These factors could trigger the need for responses in your accounting and financial reporting, including disclosures.

David Pacey

| 6 min read | 08 May 2025

CONNECT

ABOUT

LEGAL

Read our insights