The 2026 reforms to New Zealand’s Overseas Investment Act significantly reshape how transactions are assessed, approved and structured, with changes to decision-making criteria, national interest considerations and compliance expectations. In this focused and practical session, you will receive a clear and timely update on what has changed, which investors and investments are most affected and what this means in practice for property, forestry and commercial transactions. You will walk away with a practical understanding of how to draft, structure and settle transactions involving overseas entities, how to manage transitional issues, and the steps you should be taking now to protect your clients and navigate the new regime with confidence.

Presenters

Tina Hwang, Director, Queen City Law
Tina Hwang is a Director at Queen City Law and leads the firm’s Property & Disputes Team. She is also the Convenor of The Law Association of New Zealand Property Law Committee and serves on both the Property Disputes Committee and the Civil Litigation Committee. Tina’s practice spans property, construction, and litigation, underpinned by broad experience across commercial, employment, and general practice matters. She regularly advises on some of New Zealand’s largest property development projects and has developed strong expertise in construction law, frequently chairing and presenting at conferences, seminars, and webinars on construction, property, contract, and employment issues. She is also frequently appointed expert to make expert determinations on property and commercial disputes. She is a regular contributor to the Builders & Contractors magazine and is often invited to speak to banks, real estate professionals, and industry groups. Client-focused and pragmatic, Tina also acts in employment law disputes for both employers and employees, guiding clients through mediations and settlements with efficiency and care. Tina appears regularly in tribunals, authorities, and all levels of court. Her advocacy includes notable successes ranging from complex commercial disputes to saving dogs from destruction orders, with cases reaching the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.


Jason Maddox, Senior Associate, Flacks & Wong Corporate Lawyers
Jason is a New Zealand-qualified lawyer with over 15 years’ experience, specialising in corporate and commercial law.  Jason has expertise in all matters corporate with significant experience in public takeovers and schemes of arrangement, private mergers and acquisitions, governance matters and equity capital markets transactions (ranging from start-ups to NZX-listed issuers).  Jason regularly manages competing workstreams to achieve transaction milestones and advises boards and senior management on transactional and day to day matters.  Jason’s experience includes advising on a range of legal matters such as corporate compliance, shareholding, property, finance, financial services, foreign investment and aircraft acquisition matters.


Christina Lefever, Principal, Lefever Law
Christina is the principal at Lefever Law, a commercial law firm specialising in overseas investment advice and applications. She has over 20 years of commercial law experience, including a comprehensive knowledge of the Overseas Investment Act and Regulations, and understands the practicalities associated with assessing the need for Overseas Investment Office (OIO) consent, the application process and the key issues clients face. Christina has advised on over 90 successful OIO applications (primarily for rural land acquisitions) and has engaged with the OIO in relation to several enforcement matters.  Christina is a member of the OIO’s Legal Reference Group – a group of experienced practitioners that liaises with the OIO on technical and administrative matters.