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Story: Self-government and independence

The first act passed by Parliament

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The first act passed by Parliament

The first act passed by the infant New Zealand Parliament in 1854 extended certain acts of the British Parliament at Westminster in London to New Zealand. A few British acts remain in force in New Zealand in the 2000s, but in the 1980s all remaining powers of the British Parliament over New Zealand’s system of government were done away with.

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Reference: Statutes of New Zealand. Auckland: Government Printer, 1854–1855.

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How to cite this page

W. David McIntyre, Self-government and independence – Responsible government, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/document/2453/the-first-act-passed-by-parliament (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by W. David McIntyre, published 3 March 2009.