If managing health and safety has ever felt like a lot of paperwork for relatively minor risks, you’ll want to know about the upcoming changes. The Health and Safety at Work Act has been amended to put greater emphasis on workplace risks that could cause serious harm, with the new rules taking effect from 1 April 2027 . Fewer than 20 workers? Your risk-management duties will centre on critical risks. 20 or more workers? You’ll still need to manage all risks, but critical ones take priority. Codes of practice. Following an approved code relevant to your industry can offer more certainty that you are meeting your legal duties. Keep following the current rules and look out for further WorkSafe guidance.

Inland Revenue have recently announced this year’s livestock Herd Scheme Values, and we think this is a great opportunity to update you on the latest movements. The Herd Scheme Values are the National Average Market Values as determined by a process involving a review of the livestock market as at 30 April. In this issue: Dairy Cattle Beef Cattle Sheep Deer Goats Consider your livestock election choices carefully. Even though changes were made to the Herd scheme in recent years, there is still flexibility around how to value increases in numbers – if you increase your numbers during the year, you can choose an alternative valuation option to value that increase. Whether you take that option or elect to value the increase using herd values will depend on several factors, such as: where we are in the cycle of livestock values (e.g. at the bottom, or at the top) if the increase is a permanent or a temporary one your longer-term intentions As the decision is clearly one that should be made on a case-by-case basis, we will naturally discuss your valuation options with you on review of your 2026 Financial Statements and Taxation Returns.

From personality tests to HR courses and CEO podcasts, there’s no shortage of people telling you how to manage your people. But the best solutions are often those that move beyond the one-size-fits-all advice and are tailored to the specific needs of your team. While many New Zealand organisations are still navigating economic pressures and making careful decisions about growth and staffing, there are also signs of renewed confidence and opportunities ahead. As businesses look to the future, it’s a timely reminder that people and payroll processes deserve just as much attention as the numbers. Below we unpack some important employment topics, provide an update for company shareholders following this year’s Budget, and share practical insights on leading a diverse team of people: What you need to know about restructuring your business Budget 2026 – Tax update for Companies being removed from the Register Making the most of the 90-day trial Heads up: Proposed changes to the Holidays Act Diversity is good for business. Here’s how to make it work.

Budget 2026 projects a tight short term and cautiously optimistic medium term, forecasting modest economic growth, easing inflation, rising interest rates, returning to a small surplus in 2028/29. Business confidence is shadowed by continuing geopolitical uncertainty and associated oil supply shock. By now you have seen extensive budget coverage on measures relating to infrastructure, health, education, and defence. This alert focuses on coming tax changes, and implications for business, investors and taxpayers: FBT and motor vehicles Foreign investment tax reforms Other tax changes The first legislation giving effect to Budget 2026 has been introduced into the House, covering: Reducing the cap for gifts qualifying for donation tax credits to $100,000 or the donor’s taxable income, whichever is lower. Outstanding shareholder loan balances will be deemed taxable income six months after a company is removed from the Companies Register (applying to removals on or after 4 December 2025). Simplified family scheme income calculations from the 2027–28 income year, and Working for Families residence requirements Non-resident contractors’ tax exemptions for the dry leasing of aircraft and parts. Further tax changes have also been announced, with legislation expected to be introduced into the House prior to the election. Timing may not allow all of these to be passed into legislation prior to the election. An incoming government will need to restore and pass this legislation. We’ll keep you updated. 

Key product safety obligations Whether you manufacture, import, distribute, or sell goods, you have a responsibility to ensure the products you supply are safe and comply with New Zealand's product safety requirements. If you don’t meet your obligations you could be putting your customers at risk. You may also face enforcement action, which can result in a criminal conviction and financial penalties. To help you understand your responsibilities, the Commerce Commission has developed new video resources that explain key product safety obligations. They provide an inside look at what Commission investigators look for when assessing potentially non-compliant products. The videos cover: children's toys children's nightwear hot water bottles high-strength magnets. Taking the time to understand your obligations can help protect your customers, reduce business risk, and support a fair marketplace for everyone. We encourage businesses to use the videos to strengthen compliance and to train staff. Product safety standards | Commerce Commission