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Story: Constitution

The Magna Carta

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The Magna Carta

New Zealand's constitution includes statutes passed in the UK before New Zealand became independent. Some of the clauses of the Magna Carta, a 13th-century document which, among other things, described limitations on the monarch's authority and some of the rights and freedoms of the populace, remain in law. This is a copy of the 1297 version on public display in Parliament House, Canberra, Australia.

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Flickr: NickHodge's photostream

by Nick Hodge

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How to cite this page

Matthew Palmer, Constitution – What is a constitution?, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/35880/the-magna-carta (accessed 14 June 2026).

Story by Matthew Palmer, published 7 May 2012.

Comments

Rohit R Magan
07 January 2023
For personal interest, thanks