Story: Law

A section 7 report on the Bill of Rights Act 1990

A section 7 report on the Bill of Rights Act 1990

The attorney general is required  to report to Parliament if a bill appears to be inconsistent with the Bill of Rights Act 1990, according to section 7 of the act. By 2012 there had been 58 section 7 reports to Parliament. This one, on the 1997 Animal Welfare Bill, considered the powers of inspectors to search premises and seize animals. These powers were evaluated in the light of section 21 of the Bill of Rights, which says ‘Everyone has the right to be secure against unreasonable search and seizure, whether of the person, property, or correspondence or otherwise.’

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How to cite this page:

Geoffrey Palmer, 'Law - New Zealand’s legal traditions', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/document/36995/a-section-7-report-on-the-bill-of-rights-act-1990 (accessed 19 April 2024)

Story by Geoffrey Palmer, published 20 Jun 2012, updated 1 Oct 2016