Disputes with someone in Australia

New Zealand and Australia have an agreement to help make resolving civil disputes simpler, cheaper and more efficient when one party lives in the other country.

If you’re in New Zealand

If you’re in New Zealand you can:

• ask for cases that were started in Australia to be heard in a New Zealand court in certain circumstances
• start New Zealand court proceedings against a person in Australia
• appear by audio or video link in Australian court proceedings
• make a person in Australia give evidence in certain New Zealand proceedings
• have a broad range of New Zealand court judgments recognised and enforced in Australia
• ask a New Zealand court to suspend (stay) enforcement while you appeal to the Australian court to change or cancel the judgment

If you’re in Australia

Australian residents have the same rights and responsibilities that are outlined in this section for New Zealand residents. Australian residents need to read the information on the Australian Attorney-General’s website.

Find out more about resolving a dispute if you’re in Australia(external link)

This page was last updated: 02nd September 2021