Time Has Come for Privy Council Abolition

Tuesday, 14 October 2003, 9:40 am
Press Release: New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

Time Has Come for Privy Council Abolition

“The establishment of our own Supreme Court signals the coming of age of our judicial system,” Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson said today.

“It is demeaning for us as an independent country that conservative parties want to retain this last vestige of colonialism,” he said.

“We produce fine lawyers here who are in touch with our culture and responsibilities, and who are the equal of judges from the UK and other countries, including New Zealand, who sit on the Privy Council,” Ross Wilson said

Ross Wilson said there were many advantages in the prospective reform from the point of view of the ordinary New Zealander.

“It will increase access to justice at this level and at least give the ordinary New Zealander the possibility of access to our highest court at an affordable cost.

“But most importantly it will be an expression of confidence in ourselves as a nation.”

Ross Wilson said abolition of the Privy Council anachronism was long overdue.

“Arguments for retaining the Privy Council on the basis that it is a high level justice on the cheap for New Zealand are an embarrassment,” he said.

“The UK is talking about establishing its own Supreme Court and we should abolish appeals to the Privy Council before we are asked to.”

© Scoop Media

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

Te Kauae Kaimahi

The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi brings together over 350,000 New Zealand union members in 40 affiliated unions. We are the united voice for working people and their families in New Zealand.

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