Connect with meMatt specialises in both employment disputes and statutory liability. Matt’s experience in employment law is varied. He has acted on a wide range of insured and non-insured employment disputes, including representing clients in investigations, mediations, the Employment Relations Authority, the Human Rights Review Tribunal and the Employment Court. Matt regularly advises clients on a range of matters, from pre-employment through to termination.
Matt’s statutory liability experience is mostly comprised of assisting clients across various industries with investigations and prosecutions by WorkSafe (Health and Safety) and local Councils (Resource Management). He has resolved many investigations without prosecution occurring. Where a prosecution does occur, Matt relies on his ample experience in the District Court to guide clients through the process to completion. Additionally, Matt has regularly provided front-end health and safety advice to clients on risk management, health and safety management system review, and contracting agreements between PCBUs.
Employment Practices Liability
- Obtaining a dismissal of proceedings, on jurisdictional grounds, in the Employment Relations Authority for charitable organisation.
- Representing a body corporate in the Human Rights Review Tribunal on a claim for discrimination (aged persons) and victimisation.
- Representing an entertainment industry client in the Employment Relations Authority involving a contractor claiming they were an employee.
- Representing a charitable trust in the Employment Relations Authority and Employment Court (on appeal) regarding a breach of settlement agreement claim.
- Representing a waterproofing company in the Employment Relations Authority regarding a breach of contract / health and safety claim.
- Advising (due diligence) on a multi-million dollarpurchase of a labour hire business.
- Representing numerous clients at mediations, most of which resulting in commercial resolutions.
- Assisting clients with workplace investigations involving sensitive allegations of sexual harassment, bullying and violence.
Statutory Liability
- Obtaining a dismissal of charges, for several alleged breaches under the Health and Safety at Work Act, prior to trial.
- Obtaining no-outcome (no charges filed) investigations on separate instances for a construction company, a manufacturer, a fabricator, and an excavation company.
- Appearing in the High Court on declaratory judgment proceedings against WorkSafe, arguing WorkSafe owes PCBU duties to compliance certifiers.
- Representing a chemical manufacturer during a sensitive WorkSafe investigation, and at sentencing. Public interest in this matter was high, as the case involved the manufacture of 1080. Successfully opposed several media applications on this matter and obtained permanent suppression orders for multiple parties.
- Representing a construction company at sentencing, involving permanent paraplegia of a worker after falling from height. This included obtaining the withdrawal of charges against the company’s sole director.
- Representing a manufacturer at sentencing, involving a puncture from a nail gun to a workers’ chest.
- Representing a construction company at sentencing, involving the collapse of a crane and a failure to notify WorkSafe.
- Advising on separate successful enforceable undertaking applications for a trucking company, and for a retail chain.
- Representing numerous companies in WorkSafe investigations, from the date of the incident through to conclusion. In addition to the above industries, this included two labour hire companies.
- Representing a farming company at sentencing on effluent discharge offences, including obtaining withdrawal of charges against the company director.
- Representing individual farmers (two separate cases) involving effluent discharge offences at sentencing.
- Advising on multiple ongoing Council investigations into potential offences under the Resource Management Act
Industry Recognition & Publications
- Future Legal Leader, NZ Lawyer 2025
- Rising Star, Insurance Business 2025
- Finalist, ANZIIF Young Professional of the Year 2024
- Court of Appeal finds trusts are criminally liable under HSWA: What are the implications for insurers? – 24 February 2026
- RMA changes set to reshape statutory liability cover – 18 August 2025
- Unpicking the Whakaari trial decisions – 18 December 2023
- Environmental Liability
- Inquiries, Investigations and Prosecutions
- Work Health and Safety
- Workplace Investigations
- Construction and Infrastructure
- Retail and Labour Hire
- Public Sector and Education
- New Zealand Law Society