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Parliament Act 2025

Parliamentary privilege - Article 9 of Bill of Rights 1688 - Prohibited impeaching or questioning of proceedings in Parliament

18: Evidence, questions, and statements, etc, about proceedings in Parliament

You could also call this:

"What happens in Parliament can't be used in court"

Illustration for Parliament Act 2025

You cannot use evidence or ask questions in court about what happens in Parliament to question what someone said or did. You cannot use what happens in Parliament to decide if someone is telling the truth or not. You also cannot use what happens in Parliament to try to prove or disprove something in court, or to support or oppose a decision.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS804145.

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"What Article 9 means for Parliament and the law"

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Part 2Parliamentary privilege
Article 9 of Bill of Rights 1688: Prohibited impeaching or questioning of proceedings in Parliament

18Evidence, questions, and statements, etc, about proceedings in Parliament

  1. In proceedings in a court or tribunal, evidence must not be offered or received, questions must not be asked, and statements, submissions, or comments must not be made concerning proceedings in Parliament by way of, or for the purpose of, any of the following:

  2. questioning or relying on the truth, motive, intention, or good faith of anything forming part of those proceedings in Parliament:
    1. questioning or establishing the credibility, motive, intention, or good faith of any person:
      1. drawing, or inviting the drawing of, inferences or conclusions wholly or partly from anything forming part of those proceedings in Parliament:
        1. proving or disproving, or tending to prove or disprove, any fact necessary for, or incidental to, establishing any liability:
          1. resolving any matter, or supporting or resisting any judgment, order, remedy, or relief, arising or sought in the court or tribunal proceedings.

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