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In this episode, Financial Services Partner Jeremy Muir and Property Senior Associate Victoria Tatam consider how cryptocurrency can be used in New Zealand real property transactions, discussing the legal, practical and conveyancing issues that can arise when real estate meets blockchain technology.
[00:49] Jeremy and Victoria discuss the growing interest in cryptocurrency property transactions in New Zealand, explaining how digital currencies such as Bitcoin, although novel, could be used as a settlement payment where both parties agree and with the right legal structure in place.
[02:32] Jeremy talks through the origins of Bitcoin, outlining some foundational concepts behind cryptocurrency, including the double spending problem, blockchain technology, decentralised ledgers, and different types of cryptocurrencies including stablecoins.
[06:43] He explains the mechanics of holding cryptocurrency, explaining the difference between hot wallets, cold wallets and paper wallets, and how private and public keys function in authorising and receiving cryptocurrency transactions.
[09:11] Victoria then talks through some of the key legal considerations when purchasing real property with cryptocurrency like Bitcoin, including volatility risk, potential tax implications, and the need to vary standard settlement documents and processes, emphasising the importance of obtaining specialist advice at an early stage.
[11:07] Victoria and Jeremy discuss the key practical considerations involved, explaining why simpler transactions, particularly those without bank lending or significant vendor outgoings, are likely to be the most viable starting point for settling a real property transaction using cryptocurrency.
[15:18] They lastly consider how settlement mechanics might work in practice for this type of transaction, including the potential benefits of reverting to in person settlements for added certainty and the role of blockchain verification or third party platforms.
 
Information in this episode is accurate as at the date of recording, 17 March 2026.
 
Please contact Jeremy Muir, Victoria Tatam or our Financial Services or Property teams if you need legal advice and guidance on any of the topics discussed in the episode. 
And don’t forget to rate, review or follow MinterEllisonRuddWatts wherever you get your podcasts. You can also email us directly at [email protected] and sign up to receive technology updates via your inbox here.
For show notes and additional resources visit minterellison.co.nz/podcasts

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In this episode of the Election 2026 podcast series, Senior Associate Mark Calderwood is joined by Partner Megan Evans and Special Counsel Daniel Fielding to unpack how political expression on social media is regulated in an election year, and the legal risks that can arise in both the public and private sectors.
[01:04] Mark sets the scene for a likely surge in political content online as the election approaches, and why employees and employers alike should be thinking carefully about what is appropriate to post and share.
[01:47] Daniel outlines the role of the Human Rights Act and the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act (BORA), including how political opinion is protected and the limits of those protections in practice. Daniel continues by explaining how BORA allows for reasonable limits on rights where those limits are lawful, justified and proportionate, a tension that often arises in the employment context.
[04:46] Megan outlines how the Employment Relations Act protects employees from discrimination based on political opinion, and the exceptions that apply where employment is itself political in nature.
[06:13] The discussion turns to why political neutrality is a foundational principle of New Zealand’s Westminster–style system and how it enables continuity across governments. Public servants retain political rights in their private lives, but must also maintain the trust and confidence of current and future governments, a balance that requires judgment and care.
[08:24] Megan highlights key areas where neutrality is especially important, including advertising, engagement with MPs, organisational social media use, and conduct during the election period. While political activity outside work is generally permitted, public servants must avoid representing their agency, misusing confidential information, or creating misleading impressions.
[12:09] The panel discusses a Public Service Commission review into an election period advertorial, illustrating the heightened scrutiny applied during the lead up to polling day.
[14:34] Daniel explains how political neutrality conventions continue to apply year round, but with greater sensitivity and scrutiny in the pre-election period. Key dos and don’ts are canvassed, including restrictions on campaigning at work, wearing political material in the workplace, and engaging with parties during work hours.
[15:20] Daniel notes that while public servants face stricter neutrality obligations, private sector employees may still face consequences if political posts affect trust, reputation or compliance with employer policies. Daniel explains when public servants may be required to take leave if they intend to stand as candidates, including important nomination day timelines.
[17:10] Megan discusses how social media has narrowed the distinction between personal conduct and professional obligations, and why “private” posts may not stay private.
[23:07] They discuss high profile examples where senior role holders faced consequences for political commentary shared online, even when framed as private views. A recent Employment Court decision is discussed, reinforcing that off–duty social media activity may still justify disciplinary action where it undermines an employer’s interests.
 
Information in this podcast is correct as at the date of recording, 18 February 2026
 
Please contact Mark Calderwood
For show notes and additional resources visit minterellison.co.nz/podcasts

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In this episode, privacy law specialists Richard Wells and Suzy McMillan consider the legal framework governing data retention and destruction and how organisations can strike the right balance between regulatory compliance and commercial practicality in the age of big data.
[00:37] Richard and Suzy talk about the growing challenges organisations face in a data driven era, where the temptation to store information indefinitely can lead to significant privacy, security, and compliance risks.
[02:07] Richard and Suzy outline the regulatory framework that governs data retention, focusing on Information Privacy Principle (IPP) 9 of the Privacy Act 2020, which acts to restrict organisations from holding personal information longer than is required for its lawful use, and how this interacts with statutory minimum retention periods found in employment, tax, health and companies’ legislation.
[05:10] They consider how to determine when data should be deleted once those statutory minimums expire, focusing on IPPs 1, 5, 9 and 10 and what constitutes a “lawful use” for continued retention, emphasising the positive obligation on agencies to justify continued retention. 
[08:10] Suzy sets out some practical steps organisations can take to meet their compliance obligations, including establishing effective data retention policies and schedules that categorise data types, identify the legal basis for data retention, specify destruction methods and responsibility and prioritise high risk data such as personal, financial, and sensitive information.
[10:31] Richard highlights the importance of privacy by design in this context: embedding retention rules into new systems from the outset.
[14:25] They discuss recent incidents where organisations holding excessive legacy data found their exposure significantly amplified when a breach occurred, before closing with a practical reminder that the goal is balance - retaining information long enough to meet legal and business obligations, but not so long as to create unnecessary or disproportionate risk.
 
Information in this episode is accurate as at the date of recording, 5 March 2026.
 
Please contact Richard Wells, Suzy McMillan or our Privacy team if you need legal advice and guidance on any of the topics discussed in the episode. 
And don’t forget to rate, review or follow MinterEllisonRuddWatts wherever you get your podcasts. You can also email us directly at [email protected] and sign up to receive technology updates via your inbox here.  
 
Additional resources 
Privacy Act 2020
For show notes and additional resources visit minterellison.co.nz/podcasts

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In this episode, Banking Senior Associate Emma Geard, speaks with Philip Bruno, Chief Strategy and Growth Officer at ACI Worldwide, about payments modernisation – what it is, why it matters for New Zealand right now, and the global lessons that can help guide successful implementation.
[01:14] Emma and Philip discuss ACI Worldwide's global role in payments modernisation, including its work providing payments infrastructure software and services to banks and central banks across more than 90 countries.
[02:04] They consider why payments modernisation is becoming increasingly important for New Zealand. Philip notes that although New Zealand has a strong and highly digital economy, its payments system has not fully kept pace, particularly in relation to instant payments. Emma and Philip discuss how modernisation would help ensure the payments ecosystem supports that digital strength, boosting economic growth, enabling faster everyday transactions, and positioning New Zealand to take advantage of future innovation.
[03:11] Emma and Philip explore the broader scope of payments modernisation beyond simply increasing speed. Philip explains that modern payment systems include not only instant, irrevocable fund transfers but also richer messaging and information layers that automate business processes delivering efficiency gains. He adds that modern infrastructure also paves the way for new consumer and commerce innovations, including fast peer to peer payments and seamless one click purchasing.
[05:45] Philip and Emma examine global adoption trends, highlighting Denmark as a standout success story whose approach to payment modernisation offers valuable lessons for other countries.
[07:48] Emma asks Phil about the most important  decisions that could aid New Zealand’s modernisation program. Phil outlines three key lessons from overseas: build with modern, modular infrastructure; prioritise the consumer and business applications that will drive adoption and real usage; and ensure incentives are aligned across the value chain so all participants have a sustainable business case to invest.
[10:01] Lastly, they talk about the importance of designing fraud architecture into the system from the outset rather than retrofitting it later, which has proved a challenge in other jurisdictions.

Information in this episode is accurate as at the date of recording, 9 March 2026.

Please contact Emma Geard or our Banking team if you need legal advice and guidance on any of the topics
For show notes and additional resources visit minterellison.co.nz/podcasts

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For show notes and additional resources visit minterellison.co.nz/podcasts