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New Zealand does not have a written constitution - there is no single written document containing supreme or fundamental laws. This reflects the Westminster or British tradition. Instead, New Zealand's Constitution is to be found in a combination of formal legal documents (particularly the Constitution Act 1986, the Letters Patent Constituting the Office of the Governor-General, some provisions of the Electoral Act 1993 and the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990), decisions of the courts (which make up what is known as the common law) and in recognised practices (some of which are described as conventions).
Although New Zealand is fully independent, we have accepted limits on our autonomy. We have, for example, signed treaties committing ourselves to a range of agreements on such matters as air travel arrangements, the abolition of the death penalty, the terms of international trade and various environmental standards.
Over the next century, New Zealand gradually developed into an independent sovereign nation. This progression culminated in 1947 when New Zealand adopted the Statute of Westminster 1931 (UK) and the New Zealand Parliament became the country's supreme legislature.
The Australian Constitution provides for New Zealand to become an Australian State, but New Zealand has never accepted the offer. Nevertheless, the two countries have close ties - the Closer Economic Relations Agreement (CER) is an important recent development.
The Act recognises that Queen Elizabeth is New Zealand's head of state and that the Governor-General is her appointed representative.
The provisions in the Act about the Executive (the government) emphasise its Parliamentary character - only Members of Parliament may be appointed as Ministers of the Crown and as Parliamentary Undersecretaries. Not all countries have this rule. In the United States, for example, the members of the Executive are not drawn from the House of Representatives or the Senate, but are appointed by the President who is elected separately from the members of Congress.
Parliament - the legislature - consists of the Sovereign and the House of Representatives. New Zealand used to have an Upper House, the Legislative Council, but this was abolished in 1951. Each Parliament has a term of three years, unless dissolved earlier.
The Governor-General has the formal power to summon, prorogue (discontinue meetings) and dissolve Parliament, but by convention acts only on the advice of the Prime Minister.
After each general election, Parliament must meet within six weeks of the date fixed for the return of the writs from the Chief Electoral Officer. These writs name the candidates who have been elected. In future, Members of Parliament will be elected in accordance with the Electoral Act 1993, which establishes the new Mixed-Member-Proportional (MMP) electoral system.
The Constitution Act provides that Parliament has full power to make laws. A Bill passed by the House becomes law when signed by the Sovereign or the Governor-General.
Basic constitutional principles about Parliamentary control of public finance are also re-affirmed in the 1986 Act. The Crown may not levy taxes, raise loans or spend public money without Parliamentary authority (ie by Act of Parliament).
The provisions in the Act about the Judiciary are also based on long-established, constitutional principles. To ensure their independence; the judges of the Court of Appeal and the High Court are protected against removal from office and reduction of Salary.