NBR Radio Court Report: Rich List litigation

Join Hamish McNicol as he breaks down the week's biggest news from the courts on NBR Radio, and on demand on MyNBR Radio.

Two NBR Rich List families, a current Rich Lister and a former Rich Lister have all been in the news for court stoushes relating to their multimillion dollar interests.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal application in the $365 million Gough family’s highly-publicised power squabble.

NBR court reporter Hamish McNicol tells NBR Radio the appeal could have ousted a family member from the board but the country’s top court has declined to hear the appeal on the grounds it does not raise any issues of general or public importance or general commercial significance.

Earlier this week, the $720 million Spencer family was more successful than their peer, winning the right to appeal an Environment Court decision relating to the mapping of outstanding landscapes on the Waiheke Island estate.

Mr McNicol says the Auckland Council’s mapping of certain areas on the family’s Man O War Station estate, as well as on nearby Ponui Island, could restrict farming activities on the land, some of which is already planted in grapevines.

The family argued an appeal was of sufficient public interest as it could affect mapping proposed in Auckland’s Proposed Unitary Plan, as well as mapping in other regions and districts.

Justice Pamela Andrews agreed, allowing an appeal to be made.

Finally, current Rich Lister and former Metropolitan Glass founder Cameron Gregory is fighting with his neighbour, former Rich Lister Evan Christian, over a gate on the driveway the pair share in the Hauraki Gulf.

Mr McNicol says Mr Christian took down a gate at the top of the driveway when he moved into his $8.65 million home in 2013 but Mr Gregory (valued at $170 million in this year's Rich List) wants a court order to enforce the gate to be put up.

Justice Sarah Katz says the dispute is without precedent in the common law world.

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