Story: Nation and government

Abolishing appeals to the Privy Council

Abolishing appeals to the Privy Council

Until 2003 New Zealand’s highest court of appeal was the British Privy Council, sitting in London. After long debate as to whether this was appropriate for an independent nation, the right of appeal to the Privy Council was abolished. The step was controversial. Some feared it would compromise the impartiality of the judicial system. This cartoonist emphasised the gamble involved by substituting dice for the scales traditionally held by the statue of Justice.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: H-671-012
Cartoon by Garrick Tremain

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

John Wilson, 'Nation and government - From colony to nation', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/cartoon/2460/abolishing-appeals-to-the-privy-council (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by John Wilson, updated 1 Sep 2016