Current Local Government Legal Concerns: A Deep Dive
Attend this “one-stop” seminar to hear from some of the most experienced local government law specialists as you dive deep into the latest emerging legal issues for local authorities. Examine the impacts of Whitmore v Palmerston North City Council in your local government practice. Enhance your understanding of the implications of judicial review on climate change decisions.Revitalise your advising skills on decision-making & immerse yourself in the issues of Māori engagement at a local level. WEB2212NZA15Z
Description
Attend and earn 3 CPD hours
Chair: Linda O’Reilly, Special Counsel, Tompkins Wake
2.00pm to 3.00pm Emerging Legal Issues for Local Authorities
- Freedom of expression and discrimination law, including in the use of council spaces
- Recent cases: Use of council library for a ‘Speak Up for Women’ event and cancellation of speaking event at a CCO facility. Focusing on the local government implications of the High Court/Court of Appeal’s rulings
- Obligations as an employer to think about health and safety of staff (HSWA considerations)
Presented by Meredith Webb, Manager of Public Law, Auckland Council
3.00pm to 4.00pm Local Government and Māori: The Legal Issues
- The evolution of the local government/ Māori relationship
- Emerging legal issues and opportunities in the local government/ Māori relationship
Presented by Paul Beverley, Partner, Buddle Findlay
4.00pm to 4.15pm Break
4.15pm to 5.15pm The Impact of Judicial Review on Local Government Climate Change Decisions: Separating Legal Limits from the Merits
- Examining the use of temporary powers for enduring changes (WCC cycleway)
- Must each plan be a lever to reduce emissions (All Aboard)
- How will the Court approach climate change questions on review (Climate Change Declaration)?
Presented by Jill Gregory, Senior Associate and Environment and Public Law Specialist, and Megan Crocket, Senior Associate and Local Government Specialist, Tompkins Wake
Learning Objectives:
- Stay on top of emerging issues affecting local governments
- Examine the fundamental tenets of local government and Māori relationships
- Analyse judicial reviews and their impacts
Presenters
Linda O’Reilly
Linda is an expert in the area of local government and public law. She has extensive experience in local government having worked in management in that field in Auckland and the Waikato, including as Returning Officer in two triennial local government elections. Her experience includes investigating local government and official information issues in the Office of the Obudsmen, and a period as Regional Solicitor in the Auckland Conservancy Office of the Department of Conservation.
Linda advises a range of private and local government clients on local government, resource management and environmental issues. She is a contributing author to Thomson Reuters Local Government Law in New Zealand and a regular columnist in NZ Local Government magazine.
Meredith Webb
Meredith manages the public law team at Auckland Council where she handles a wide array of complex public law issues. She has particular expertise in public and administrative law and is passionate about local government law. Meredith has previously worked in the local government public law team at Simpson Grierson specialising in local government funding and decision-making. She also has substantial public law litigation experience having worked at the Government Legal Department in the UK where she was instructed by the Home Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office in high profile and complex judicial reviews and statutory appeals.
Paul Beverley
Paul was the National Chair of Buddle Findlay from 2017 to March 2020. Paul specialises in Māori Law, Treaty settlement negotiations, co-governance and partnership arrangements with Māori, and resource management and conservation law. Paul has extensive experience collaborating and negotiating with Māori and advising on Māori and Treaty of Waitangi related issues. He has been a member of the core Crown design, negotiation and drafting teams on significant Treaty of Waitangi settlements, including in relation to the 'legal personality' models in Tuhoe (Te Urewera); Whanganui River (Te Awa Tupua); and currently Taranaki Maunga and numerous co-governance models such as over the Tūpuna Maunga in Auckland and Waikato River. Paul's particular specialty is designing, negotiating and drafting co-governance, co-management and relationship frameworks between the Crown, local government and Māori. He has advised on most of the Treaty settlement co-governance and co-management arrangements that have been designed and agreed with Iwi, and he advises on a wide range of partnership and relationship agreements between various Crown, local government and private entities and Māori, including in the context of infrastructure projects and the RMA. Paul advises on law reform and policy processes and he acts for a number of co-governance authorities including the Tūpuna Maunga Authority in Auckland, Waikato River Authority and Te Urewera Board.
Jill Gregory
Jill is an environmental, resource management and public law specialist assisting clients with plan changes and reviews, designations, and resource consent processes. Jill has worked for a broad range of clients from local authorities, central government infrastructure and housing agencies, retirement villages, property developers and businesses. With over 15 years’ experience in large national law firms, Jill has extensive experience in nationally significant projects, legal due diligence, complex plan reviews, and has assisted clients through several alternative consenting processes, including the special housing areas processes and Boards of Inquiry.
Megan Crocket
Megan specialises in the local government sector, with expertise in local government law and public law. She provides advice on core local government issues, including governance and decision-making, and judicial review risk. She represents local government clients in a range of Courts and Tribunals. Megan has experience across a wide range of local government topics, including bylaws and policies, consultation, conflicts of interest, official information, privacy, record-keeping, CCOs, human rights, sale of alcohol, three waters, roading, solid waste, rating, development contributions, procurement, biosecurity, flood protection, and public works. In addition to her local government clients, she has acted for statutory bodies, NGOs and companies.