LAWS121 Parliament - Carwyn Jones PDF

Preview

Summary

Carwyn Jones...

Description

Parliament 





Early developments o Magna Carta (1215)  Part peace treaty  Commerce and trade  Limits the King's feudal rights  The King was demanding too much in the way of taxes  Justice and the rule of law:  "NO freeman shall be taken or imprisoned… nor will we not pass upon him, nor condemn him, but by lawful judgement of his peers, or by the law of the land. We will sell to no man, we will not deny or defer to any man either justice or right." o Bill of Rights (1688)  The pretended power of suspending the laws and dispensing with laws by regal authority without consent of Parliament is illegal;  Levying taxes without grand of Parliament is illegal;  Keeping a standing army in time of peace, unless it be with consent of Parliament, is against law;  Election of members of Parliament ought to be free;  The freedom of speech and debates or proceedings in Parliament ought not to be impeached or questioned in any court or place out of Parliament Parliamentary democracy in NZ o NZ Constitution act (1852)  Established Legislative Council and House of Representative  Original provinces  Provision for 'Native Districts'  Beginnings of representative and responsible government in NZ o Maori representation act (1867) o Kotahitanga Parliament (1892-1902) o Women's Suffrage (1893) 20th Century developments o Statute of Westminister (1947)  Statute of Westminister Adoption Act  Passed by UK in 1931  1947 adopted by NZ Parliament  Granted full autonomy to the six Dominions (NZ, Australia, South Africa, Canada, Newfoundland, Irish free state) o Legislative council abolished (1951)  Only one house in NZ through which legislation moves o Constitution Act (1986)  Formally replaces 1852 constitution  Consolidates lots of practises

o

MMP (Electoral Act 1993)  Shift from 'First Past the Post' (FPP) to proportional representation 'Mixed Member Proportional' (MMP)  Increased diversity  Racial diversity  Gender diversity  Intended to shift balance of power back to Parliament (as opposed to Executive Government)

Legal personalities  Kate Sheppard  1848-1934  Woman's Suffrage movement

 

Geoffrey Palmer Prime Minister, legislator...