Written in a lively style, the commentary contains a detailed analysis of this short, but important piece of constitutional legislation. To make it as accessible to readers as possible each chapter of the book follows a pattern of outlining similar provisions in comparable human rights systems (domestic and international), discussing the purposes of each right or provision in issue, engaging in a detailed examination of the meaning of the text of each provision, examining the extent to which justified limits can be placed on guaranteed rights and freedoms, and concluding by considering issues related to remedies where relevant.

The New Zealand Bill of Rights is a comprehensive account of over a decade of jurisprudence under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990. The Book provides an indepth examination of the Act, covering such topics as the benefits and burdens of rights; principles of interpretation; impact on legislation and the legislative process; judical review; civil and political rights; the rights of persons subjected to criminal investigation and prosecution; trial procedures; powers of law enforcement; and remedies for breach. Combining descriptive, analytical and prognostic scholarship, the extensive detail of the New Zealand Bill of Rights marks it as a standard reference text for this important body of the New Zealand law.

How do bills of rights influence legislative decision-making in New Zealand and the United Kingdom?

'The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted while the world remained deeply shocked by the atrocities committed during the Second World War, was an inspirational creation. ... It is hard to conceive of this document being adopted today. Like most other nations, New Zealand has succumbed to a kind of world-weary acceptance that full enjoyment of universal human rights remains a distant dream.' Preface, Dame Silvia Cartwright, PCNZM, DBE, QSO New Zealand is proud of its human rights record with good reason. It was the first country in the world to give women the vote and it played a prominent part in the establishment of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. New Zealand recently took a leading role in the creation of the world’s newest human rights treaty, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. But just how good are things in practice? Are our governments living up to the promises they make when they ratify human rights treaties? Human Rights in New Zealand is a comprehensive survey of the seven major international human rights treaties which New Zealand has signed and ratified, as well as the Universal Periodic Review. Based on four years of research, undertaken with the support of the New Zealand Law Foundation, this book concludes that significant faultlines are emerging in the human rights landscape. It sets out an agenda for change with recommendations for practical action.