Key developments in public law, government and regulation for the week ending 7 October 2016.

Public law

The Chief Inspector of Corrections has released a report into the issue of "fight clubs" at Mount Eden Prison.

The Court of Appeal has dismissed three appeals brought by New Health New Zealand Inc relating to the fluoridation of public water supplies, rejecting arguments based on administrative law grounds and the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act.

The Human Rights Review Tribunal has ordered Colin Craig to pay $128,780 in damages to his former press secretary, Rachel MacGregor, for breaching a confidentiality agreement between them. 

Government 

John McDermott, Assistant Governor and Head of Economics at the Reserve Bank, has given a speech on "policy Uncertainty from a Central Bank Perspective". 

Callaghan Innovation has announced that it will run three new accelerator programmes to help develop early-stage start-up businesses in 2017.

Antonio Guterres has been confirmed as the next Secretary General for the United Nations. Prime Minister John Key has welcomed the appointment, stating that Mr Guterres is a "friend of New Zealand". 

New Zealand has ratified the Paris Agreement on climate change. New Zealand is committed to a target of reducing our emissions by 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030.

Regulation

Mobile traders Ace Marketing Limited and Smart Shop Limited (trading as SmartStore) have been fined $150,000 and $135,000 respectively after being sentenced in the Auckland District Court following legal proceedings initiated by the Commerce Commission. These are the two highest penalties yet imposed on mobile traders. 

The Commerce Commission has published the submissions it has received on our Gas Default Price-Quality Path reset policy paper. Cross submission are due Wednesday 12 October 2016.

The Productivity Commission has released its draft report on New Models in Tertiary Education. Submission on the draft as due Monday 21 November 2016.

The Commerce Commission is consulting updated draft guidelines designed to assist lenders when setting credit fees. Submissions are due Monday 24 October 2016.

NZX Chief Executive, Tim Bennett, has announced that he will be stepping down from the role before the end of the year.