+64 7 839 4771

Megan Crocket

Megan Crocket

Special Counsel

To make an appointment, please contact Lisa Jamieson lisa.jamieson@tompkinswake.co.nz

Qualifications : BA, Victoria University of Wellington, LLB (First Class Hons), University of Waikato.

Megan specialises in the local government sector, with expertise in local government law and public law. She provides advice on core local government issues, including governance and decision-making, and judicial review risk. She represents local government clients in a range of Courts and Tribunals.

Megan has experience across a wide range of local government topics, including bylaws and policies, consultation, conflicts of interest, official information, privacy, record-keeping, CCOs, human rights, sale of alcohol, three waters, roading, solid waste, rating, development contributions, procurement, biosecurity, flood protection, and public works. In addition to her local government clients, she has acted for statutory bodies, NGOs and companies. 

Areas of expertise

  • Bylaws and Policies
  • Local Government Litigation
  • Official Information (LGOIMA)
  • Privacy Act
  • Local Government Advisory
  • Administrative Law
  • Sale and Supply of Alcohol
  • Human Rights Commission Matters
  • Local Government Infrastructure

An opportunity for metro council local alcohol policies?

The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act came into force almost ten years ago. Local Alcohol Policies (LAPs) were to be a key component of the new ‘harm min...

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Maunga Authority out on a limb over tree removal

How much must a decision-maker tell the public about its plans when it goes out to public consultation? Some Auckland residents were shocked to discov...

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Park and (don't) ride

Businesses along the route of a partly-built Wellington cycleway are taking Wellington City Council to Court to challenge the decision to install it. ...

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Court gives guidance on consultation and decision-making process

A recent High Court case shows the difficulty of reversing course after consultation is finished.  Marlborough District Council (MDC) went out to publ...

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Council sent back to the drawing board on climate change

Over sixty mayors and regional council chairs have signed the Local Government Leaders’ Climate Change Declaration.  Hauraki Coromandel Climate Action...

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Parliament to remove barriers for Māori wards

In the twenty years that New Zealand law has provided for the establishment of Māori wards constituencies in local government, 24 councils have attemp...

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No generic court orders for compulsory seismic work

The District Court has sent a clear message that it will not give councils free rein to carry out unspecified seismic work on privately-owned earthqua...

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Council's statutory demand upheld

The High Court has declined to set aside a council’s statutory demand for a $415,493.45 debt for development contribution (DC) levy.  The case is reas...

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Email quarantine: getting it right

Councils, like other employers, have obligations to protect their employees from harm.  Quarantining abusive or offensive emails is one method of doin...

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Court upholds sensible approach to local authority works on private property

Local authorities have a power to construct works on private property under s 181 of the Local Government Act 2002 with the consent of the owner or af...

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Supreme Court upholds councils' power to fluoridate water

On 27 June 2018 the Supreme Court issued a judgment which is of significance to councils across the country.In 2012 South Taranaki District Council de...

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High Court guidance on HASHAA

A very recent High Court decision on the Housing Accords and Special Housing Areas Act 2013 (HASHAA) provides valuable guidance to councils with estab...

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Expertise

Sector Knowledge