Imperial Enactments which are still part of New Zealand Law include:
Magna Carta 1297
Heralded as the beginning of English constitutional law the Magna Carta arose from a revolution by the baronage in 1215, which compelled King John to agree to a comprehensive schedule of liberties, predominantly dealing with the relationship between the Crown and the Church and the Crown and the common people. The Charter also referred to certain matters of individual liberty such as freedom of movement while identifying the concept of "majority rule" in decision making;
Bill of Rights 1688
The passing of the Bill of Rights 1688 was motivated by the desire to settle the succession to the throne. The Bill was founded on the Declaration of Rights and was passed during the reign of William the Orange. The Bill went further than setting out the relationship of the Crown to Parliament in that, in part, it identified the doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty. The Bill established the rights of citizens to petition the Crown; declared that the election of members of Parliament should be free and identified the notion of Parliamentary privilege, that freedom of speech in Parliament should not be questioned in any place out of parliament, effectively protecting Member's of Parliament from defamation proceedings
Petition of Right 1628
Petition of Right ensured that the Crown could not levy taxes without the consent of Parliament
Habeas Corpus Acts of 1640, 1679 and 1816
The right to bring a writ of habeas corpus to prevent arbitrary or unlawful detention is still alive today. go to top of page
Statute of Westminster 1931(Imp)
* A law passed after the commencement of the Act, by a Dominion (A "Dominion" referred to those English colonies who were taking steps to establish independence) was not to be invalid on the basis it was repugnant to an Imperial statute or the common law
* Power to pass extra-territorial legislation given to Dominion Parliaments
* Imperial legislation would not extend to a Dominion without the explicit request and consent of that Dominion.
Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1947 in conjunction with the New Zealand Constitution Amendment (Request and Consent) Act 1947
* Adoption of Statute of Westminster 1931
* Request and consent to Imperial Parliament passing legislation which would enable the New Zealand Parliament to amend and repeal it own constitution
* New Zealand achieving legal autonomy as now having the power to amend, suspend and repeal its own constitution
Legislative Council Abolition Act 1950
* Legislative Council abolished so that New Zealand became a unicameral (one-house) legislature
New Zealand Constitution Amendment Act 1973
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