Story: Constitution

The government and rights

The government and rights

If the government infringes the civil and political rights and freedoms in the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 it can be sued in court. However, if the infringement is authorised by legislation the judiciary cannot strike down that infringement. As the senior law officer of the Crown, the attorney-general (a government minister) is responsible for the government's application of the law. This cartoon suggests that concerns outside the legal realm may influence decision-making.

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Simon Kneebone
Cartoon by Simon Kneebone

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How to cite this page:

Matthew Palmer, 'Constitution - Judicial limits on the executive', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/cartoon/35891/the-government-and-rights (accessed 25 April 2024)

Story by Matthew Palmer, published 20 Jun 2012