Wilson Parking accuses ex-regional manager Peter Turner of using confidential information to set up Mainland Parking.
A high-profile battle is unfolding in New Zealand’s parking industry, with Wilson Parking accusing its former South Island manager Peter Turner of breaching his contract and misusing company information to set up rival firm Mainland Parking.
Turner resigned from Wilson in September 2023 after more than a decade with the company. Soon after, he and his wife launched ATE Property Limited, trading as Mainland Parking. Within months, several landlords who had previously leased sites to Wilson began switching to Turner’s new company.
Wilson claims Turner deliberately misused confidential information, including lease details and pricing structures, to lure clients away. It also alleges he inserted unusual “get out easily” clauses into contracts while still employed, making it simple for landlords to cancel agreements and re-sign with him once he left.
The company told the Employment Court that Turner’s actions are costing them around $9,600 a day and say losses could total $4.4 million. They sought urgent injunctions to stop Turner working with former clients and to freeze revenue from disputed leases.
Turner and Mainland Parking deny the claims. Turner says he never misused confidential information, that exit clauses were standard industry practice, and that any preparation he did before resigning was lawful. He argues his restraint of trade is too broad to enforce and that shutting down his company before trial would be unfair.
In an interim ruling released in September 2025, Judge Helen Doyle struck a middle ground. The Court declined Wilson’s bid to stop Turner from trading, saying that would effectively kill his new business before the full case could be heard. However, the Court did grant a freezing order, stopping Turner and Mainland Parking from selling or transferring the disputed leases and contracts.
The full trial — expected to last two weeks — is set for January 2026. Until then, Mainland Parking can continue operating but cannot dispose of any of the contested leases.
The outcome could reshape the South Island parking sector and will test how far confidentiality and restraint clauses can go in New Zealand employment law.
📄 Full judgment: Wilson Parking NZ Ltd v Turner & ATE Property Ltd [2025] NZEmpC 214 (PDF)
Disclaimer
This article is based on the official Employment Court judgment Wilson Parking NZ Ltd v Turner & ATE Property Ltd [2025] NZEmpC 214, a public record released September 2025. It is published in the public interest and reflects the Court’s interim findings.