New Zealand
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- Parliamentary democracy - constitutional monarchy of the Commonwealth
- CONSTITUTION
- consists of a series of legal documents, including acts of the United Kingdom and the New Zealand Parliament and the Constitution Act of 1986, which is the first formal charter. Effective from January 1, 1987
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- based on English law, with some special territorial laws and territorial courts for the Maori
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- unicameral, House of Representatives
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; High Court;
RELIGIONS
14.9% Anglicans, 12.4% Catholics; 10.9% Presbyterians; other Christians
From the country
- APRIL 26, 2000New ZealandDEATH PENALTY
New Zealand cosponsored the resolution on the death...
New Zealand cosponsored the resolution on the death penalty approved by the UN Commission on Human Rights on April 26 (no
- JANUARY 1, 2000New ZealandDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty was abolished for ordinary crimes...
The death penalty was abolished for ordinary crimes in 1961, then fully abolished, and replaced with life imprisonment in 1989
- DECEMBER 1, 1999New ZealandDEATH PENALTY
In December, Bret Bestic, regional manager of Auckland...
In December, Bret Bestic, regional manager of Auckland Prison at Paremoremo for the last 16 months, said: "There are people who are exceptionally violent and show little or no remorse and there is a strong case for capital punishment for those people
- NOVEMBER 8, 1999New ZealandDEATH PENALTY
On November 8, New Zealand's representative Michael...
On November 8, New Zealand's representative Michael Powels, speaking at the Third Committee of the General Assembly (human rights) under item 116a (death penalty), said New Zealand was an early co-sponsor of a draft resolution calling for a moratorium on
- OCTOBER 1, 1999New ZealandDEATH PENALTY
On October 1, the Assignment-Colmar Brunton poll found...
On October 1, the Assignment-Colmar Brunton poll found that 51% of respondents believed the death penalty should be an option for certain types of crime, and 41% opposed the death penalty
- APRIL 28, 1999New ZealandDEATH PENALTY
New Zealand was a cosponsor of the resolution on the...
New Zealand was a cosponsor of the resolution on the death penalty approved by the UN Commission on Human Rights on April 28 (1999/61)
- JANUARY 1, 1999New ZealandDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty was abolished for ordinary crimes...
The death penalty was abolished for ordinary crimes in 1961, then fully abolished, and replaced with life imprisonment in 1989