New Zealand ponders Privy Council abolition

The Privy Council has been the final court of appeal in New Zealand since 1841, but next week the Justice and Electoral Select Committee will hear submissions on a bill that proposes to axe it.

The Supreme Court Bill, put forward by Attorney General Margaret Wilson, suggests that instead of appealing to the Privy Council in London, there should instead be a Supreme Court based within the country.

New Zealand is also set to this year abolish the title of Queen's Council (QC) in favour of Special Counsel (SC) when the new Law Practitioners and Conveyancers Bill is passed later this year.