This Act comes into force on 1 January 2004.

(1) The purpose of this Act is—

• (a) to establish within New Zealand a new court of final appeal comprising New Zealand judges—

  • (i) to recognise that New Zealand is an independent nation with its own history and traditions; and

  • (ii) to enable important legal matters, including legal matters relating to the Treaty of Waitangi, to be resolved with an understanding of New Zealand conditions, history, and traditions; and

  • (iii) to improve access to justice; and

• (b) to provide for the court's jurisdiction and related matters; and

• (c) to end appeals to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council from decisions of New Zealand courts; and

• (d) to make related amendments to certain enactments relating to courts or judicial proceedings.

(2) Nothing in this Act affects New Zealand's continuing commitment to the rule of law and the sovereignty of Parliament.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—

This Act binds the Crown.

This section establishes as the court of final appeal for New Zealand a court of record called the Supreme Court of New Zealand.

The Supreme Court can hear and determine an appeal by a party to a civil proceeding in the Court of Appeal against any decision made in the proceeding, unless—

• (a) an enactment other than this Act makes provision to the effect that there is no right of appeal against the decision; or

• (b) the decision is a refusal to give leave or special leave to appeal to the Court of Appeal.

The Supreme Court can hear and determine an appeal by a party to a civil proceeding in the High Court against any decision made in the proceeding, unless—

• (a) an enactment other than this Act makes provision to the effect that there is no right of appeal against the decision; or

• (b) the decision is a refusal to give leave or special leave to appeal to the High Court or the Court of Appeal; or

• (c) the decision was made on an interlocutory application.

The Supreme Court can hear and determine an appeal against a decision made in a civil proceeding in a New Zealand court other than the Court of Appeal or the High Court to the extent only that an enactment other than this Act provides for the bringing of an appeal to the Supreme Court against the decision.

The Supreme Court can hear and determine appeals authorised by—

• (a) Part 13 or section 406A of the Crimes Act 1961; or

• (b) section 144A of the Summary Proceedings Act 1957; or

• (c) section 10A or section 10B(1) of the Courts Martial Appeals Act 1953.

Sections 7 to 10 are subject to—

• (a) the provisions of this Act; and

• (b) all applicable rules, orders, and directions for regulating the terms and conditions on which appeals may be allowed, made or given under this Act or the Judicature Act 1908.

(1) Appeals to the Supreme Court can be heard only with the Court's leave.

(2) References in enactments other than this Act to the leave of the Supreme Court must be read subject to sections 13 and 14.

(1) The Supreme Court must not give leave to appeal to it unless it is satisfied that it is necessary in the interests of justice for the Court to hear and determine the proposed appeal.

(2) It is necessary in the interests of justice for the Supreme Court to hear and determine a proposed appeal if—

• (a) the appeal involves a matter of general or public importance; or

• (b) a substantial miscarriage of justice may have occurred, or may occur unless the appeal is heard; or

• (c) the appeal involves a matter of general commercial significance.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (2), a significant issue relating to the Treaty of Waitangi is a matter of general or public importance.

(4) The Supreme Court must not give leave to appeal to it against an order made by the Court of Appeal on an interlocutory application unless satisfied that it is necessary in the interests of justice for the Supreme Court to hear and determine the proposed appeal before the proceeding concerned is concluded.

(5) Subsection (2) does not limit the generality of subsection (1); and subsection (3) does not limit the generality of subsection (2)(a).

The Supreme Court must not give leave to appeal directly to it against a decision made, a conviction entered, or a sentence imposed, in a proceeding in a New Zealand court other than the Court of Appeal unless (in addition to being satisfied that it is necessary in the interests of justice for the Court to hear and determine the proposed appeal) it is satisfied that there are exceptional circumstances that justify taking the proposed appeal directly to the Supreme Court.

(1) The parties to an application for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court may make written submissions to the Court, and may include in the submissions—

• (a) additional relevant written material; and

• (b) responses to submissions made by any other party.

(2) Neither the parties nor their representatives have a right to appear before the Court on the application; but the Court may if it thinks fit—

• (a) authorise the parties, their representatives, or both to appear:

• (b) exclude from any authority to appear a party who is an appellant in custody.

(3) In determining the application, the Court must consider—

• (a) the written submissions before it; and

• (b) if an oral hearing was held, the matters raised at the hearing.

(4) The Court may consider the written submissions in any manner it thinks fit.

(1) The Supreme Court must state its reasons for refusing to give leave to appeal to it.

(2) The reasons may be stated briefly, and may be stated in general terms only.

(1) The Supreme Court comprises—

• (a) the Chief Justice; and

• (b) not fewer than 4 nor more than 5 other Judges, appointed by the Governor-General as Judges of the Supreme Court.

(2) The Supreme Court's jurisdiction is not affected by a vacancy in the number of its Judges.

(1) The Chief Justice is the head of the New Zealand judiciary, and has seniority over the other Judges of the Supreme Court.

(2) Other Judges of the Supreme Court appointed on different dates have seniority among themselves according to those dates.

(3) Other Judges of the Supreme Court appointed on the same date have seniority among themselves as follows:

• (a) Judges who have been Judges of the Court of Appeal are senior to Judges who have not been Judges of the Court of Appeal:

• (b) Judges who have been Judges of the Court of Appeal have among themselves the seniority they would have if still Judges of the Court of Appeal:

• (c) Judges who have not been Judges of the Court of Appeal but have previously been Judges of the High Court have seniority among themselves according to their seniority as Judges of the High Court:

• (d) Judges who have not previously been Judges of the High Court but have previously held other judicial office in New Zealand are senior to Judges who have not previously held judicial office in New Zealand.

(4) Judges of the Supreme Court are senior to the Judges of the Court of Appeal, and to the Judges of the High Court who are not Judges of the Supreme Court.

(5) This section applies only to permanent Judges.

(1) While the office of Chief Justice is vacant, or the Chief Justice is outside New Zealand, the senior Judge of the Supreme Court is authorised to act as Chief Justice.

(2) If because of illness or a reason other than absence from New Zealand the Chief Justice is unable to perform the duties of that office, the Governor-General may authorise the senior Judge of the Supreme Court to act as Chief Justice until the Chief Justice resumes those duties.

(3) While authorised to act as Chief Justice, the senior Judge of the Supreme Court can perform the duties of the Chief Justice, and exercise any power of the Chief Justice.

(4) The fact that the senior Judge of the Supreme Court performs a duty of the Chief Justice or exercises a power of the Chief Justice is conclusive proof of his or her authority to do so. No action of the Judge, and no decision of the Court, may be questioned on the ground that the occasion for the Judge to perform the duty or exercise the power had not arisen or had ceased.

(5) This section does not affect clause XII of the Letters Patent constituting the Office of Governor-General of New Zealand 1983 (SR 1983/225).

(1) No person can be appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court under section 17(1)(b) unless he or she—

• (a) was a Judge of the High Court (whether sitting in the High Court or the Court of Appeal) immediately before being appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court; or

• (b) is appointed as a Judge of the High Court when appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court.

(2) Every permanent Judge of the Supreme Court—

• (a) continues to be a Judge of the High Court; and

• (b) may as a Judge of the Supreme Court exercise any of the powers of a Judge of the High Court.

(1) A Judge of a New Zealand court other than the High Court vacates office as a Judge of that court when appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court.

(2) A Judge of the Supreme Court who has vacated office as a Judge of a New Zealand court under subsection (1) may nevertheless continue in office to determine, give judgment in, or otherwise complete, a proceeding heard by the Judge (either alone or with others) when he or she sat in that court.

A Judge of the Supreme Court holds office until he or she ceases to hold office as a permanent Judge of the High Court.

(1) The Governor-General may appoint as acting Judges of the Supreme Court retired Judges of the Supreme Court or the Court of Appeal who have not reached the age of 75 years.

(2) Each acting Judge must be appointed for a stated term that—

• (a) is not more than the time until the Judge will reach the age of 75 years:

• (b) in any case, is not more than 24 months.

(3) During the term of his or her appointment, an acting Judge may act as a Judge of the Supreme Court to the extent only that the Chief Justice authorises under subsection (4).

(4) The Chief Justice may authorise an acting Judge to act as a member of the Supreme Court—

• (a) to hear and determine any proceedings within a stated period; or

• (b) to hear and determine stated proceedings.

(5) The Chief Justice may authorise an acting Judge to act as a member of the Supreme Court only if satisfied that—

• (a) there is a vacancy in the Supreme Court; or

• (b) a Judge of the Supreme Court is for any reason unavailable to hear proceedings or particular proceedings.

(6) An acting Judge is authorised when the Chief Justice gives the Attorney-General a certificate, signed by the Chief Justice and at least 2 other permanent Judges of the Supreme Court, to the effect that in their opinion it is necessary for the proper conduct of the Court's business for the acting Judge to be authorised to act as a member of the Supreme Court—

• (a) to hear and determine proceedings within the period concerned; or

• (b) to hear and determine the proceedings concerned.

(7) An acting Judge has the jurisdiction, powers, protections, privileges, and immunities of a Judge of the Supreme Court and the High Court, but only in relation to acting as a member of the Supreme Court, under the authority of subsection (4), in the hearing and determination of a proceeding.

(8) While acting as a member of the Supreme Court, under the authority of subsection (4), in the hearing and determination of a proceeding, but not otherwise, an acting Judge must be paid—

• (a) a salary at the rate for the time being payable to a Judge of the Supreme Court other than the Chief Justice; and

• (b) any applicable allowances, being travelling allowances or other incidental or minor allowances, determined by the Governor-General for acting Judges.

(9) The fact that an acting Judge acts as a member of the Supreme Court is conclusive proof of the Judge's authority to do so. No action of the Judge, and no decision of the Court, may be questioned on the ground that the occasion for the Judge to act as a member of the Court had not arisen or had ceased.

(10) An acting Judge may resign office by written notice to the Attorney-General.

Appeals to the Supreme Court proceed by way of rehearing.

(1) On an appeal in a proceeding that has been heard in a New Zealand court, the Supreme Court—

• (a) can make any order, or grant any relief, that could have been made or granted by that court; and

• (b) even if the proceeding has not been heard in the Court of Appeal, has all the powers the Court of Appeal would have if hearing the appeal.

(2) In any proceeding, the Supreme Court can make any ancillary or interlocutory orders (including any orders as to costs) it thinks fit.

The Supreme Court can also remit a proceeding that began in a New Zealand court to any New Zealand court that has jurisdiction to deal with it.

(1) For the purposes of the hearing and determination of a proceeding, the Supreme Court comprises 5 Judges of the Court.

(2) Any 2 or more permanent Judges of the Supreme Court can act as the Court—

• (a) to decide whether an oral hearing of an application for leave to appeal to the Court should be held, or the application should be determined just on the basis of written submissions:

• (b) to determine an application for leave to appeal to the Court.

(3) The delivery of the judgment of the Supreme Court may be effected in any manner, and by any number of Judges, provided by rules made under section 51C of the Judicature Act 1908.

(4) Subsection (1) is subject to sections 28(1) and 30(1).

(1) In a proceeding before the Supreme Court, any permanent Judge of the Court may make any interlocutory orders and give any interlocutory directions the Judge thinks fit (other than an order or direction that determines the proceeding or disposes of a question or issue that is before the Court in the proceeding).

(2) Any permanent Judge of the Supreme Court may review a decision of the Registrar made within the civil jurisdiction of the Court under a power conferred on the Registrar by a rule of Court, and may confirm, modify, or revoke that decision as the Judge thinks fit.

(3) The Judges of the Supreme Court who together have jurisdiction to hear and determine a proceeding may—

• (a) discharge or vary an order or direction made or given under subsection (1); or

• (b) confirm, modify, or revoke a decision confirmed or modified under subsection (2).

(1) The Chief Justice presides over the Supreme Court.

(2) If the Chief Justice is absent, or the office of Chief Justice is vacant, the most senior available Judge of the Supreme Court presides over the Court.

(3) The fact that a Judge of the Supreme Court other than the Chief Justice presides over the Court is conclusive proof of the Judge's authority to do so. No action of the Judge, and no judgment or decision of the Court, may be questioned on the ground that the occasion for the Judge to preside over the Court had not arisen or had ceased.

(1) Where, because of the death or unavailability of one or 2 of the Judges of the Supreme Court who are about to begin or have begun hearing a proceeding, only 3 or 4 of those Judges remain available to determine it,—

• (a) the remaining Judges must decide whether the proceeding must be adjourned or reheard, or may continue; and

• (b) if the remaining Judges decide that the proceeding may continue,—

  • (i) they may act as the Supreme Court in relation to the proceeding, and can determine it and any interlocutory matters (including the question of costs); and

  • (ii) the reference in section 31(1) to a majority of the Judges hearing the proceeding must be read as a reference to a majority of those remaining Judges.

(2) If at the time appointed for a sitting of the Supreme Court one or more Judges are absent, the Judge or Judges present may adjourn or further adjourn the sitting to some other time.

(3) If at the time appointed for a sitting of the Supreme Court all the Judges are absent, the Registrar must adjourn or further adjourn the sitting to some other time.

(1) The judgment of the Supreme Court must be in accordance with the opinion of a majority of the Judges hearing the proceeding concerned.

(2) If the Judges are equally divided in opinion, the decision appealed from or under review is taken to be affirmed.

A judgment, decree, or order of the Supreme Court may be enforced by the High Court as if it had been given or made by the High Court.

(1) There must be paid out of public money to the Judges of the Supreme Court other than the Chief Justice, without further appropriation than this section,—

• (a) salaries at a rate determined by the Remuneration Authority; and

• (b) any applicable allowances determined by the Remuneration Authority; and

• (c) any applicable additional allowances, being travelling allowances or other incidental or minor allowances, determined from time to time by the Governor-General.

(2) A determination under subsection (1), or a provision of a determination under subsection (1), may be stated to come into force on—

• (a) the date on which the determination is made; or

• (b) any other date, whether before or after the date on which the determination is made.

(3) If no date is stated for a determination or a provision of a determination, it comes into force on the date on which the determination is made.

(4) Subsection (2) is subject to the Remuneration Authority Act 1977.

(5) This section does not apply to acting Judges.

All fees received under this Act must be paid into the Crown Bank Account.

(1) A person commits an offence who—

• (a) assaults, threatens, intimidates, or wilfully insults a Judge of the Supreme Court, the Registrar of the Court, a Deputy Registrar or officer of the Court, or a witness, during his or her sitting or attendance in Court, or in going to or returning from the Court; or

• (b) wilfully interrupts or obstructs the proceedings of the Supreme Court, or misbehaves in the Court; or

• (c) wilfully and without lawful excuse disobeys an order or direction of the Supreme Court in the course of the hearing of a proceeding.

(2) A member of the police or officer of the Supreme Court, with or without the assistance of any other person, may, by order of a Judge of the Court, take into custody and detain until the rising of the Court a person who commits an offence against subsection (1).

(3) The Supreme Court may sentence a person who commits an offence against subsection (1) to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 5 days, or to pay a fine not exceeding $5,000, or both, for every offence.

(4) The Supreme Court has the same power and authority as the High Court to punish any person for contempt of Court in any case to which subsection (1) does not apply.

(5) Nothing in subsections (1) to (3) limits or affects the power and authority referred to in subsection (4).

(1) A Registrar of the Supreme Court must be appointed under the State Sector Act 1988.

(2) There may also be appointed under that Act Deputy Registrars of the Supreme Court, and any other officers required for the conduct of the Court's business.

The Registrar, Deputy Registrars, and other officers of the Supreme Court have the powers and duties prescribed by rules made under section 51C of the Judicature Act 1908.

(1) The Supreme Court has a seal for sealing writs and other instruments or documents issued by the Registrar that must be sealed.

(2) The Registrar has custody of the seal.

(1) The Governor-General may, by Order in Council, make regulations for all or any of the following purposes:

• (a) prescribing the matters for which fees are payable under this Act:

• (b) prescribing scales of fees for the purposes of this Act and for the purposes of proceedings before the Supreme Court:

• (c) prescribing the fees, travelling allowances, and expenses payable to interpreters and to people giving evidence in proceedings before the Supreme Court:

• (d) in order to promote access to justice, empowering the Registrar or a Deputy Registrar of the Supreme Court to waive, reduce, or postpone the payment of a fee required in connection with a proceeding or intended proceeding, or to refund, in whole or in part, such a fee that has already been paid, if satisfied on the basis of criteria prescribed under paragraph (e) that—

  • (i) the person otherwise responsible for payment of the fee is unable to pay or absorb the fee in whole or in part; or

  • (ii) unless one or more of those powers are exercised in respect of a proceeding that concerns a matter of genuine public interest, the proceeding is unlikely to be commenced or continued:

• (e) prescribing, for the purposes of the exercise of a power under paragraph (d), the criteria—

  • (i) for assessing a person's ability to pay a fee; and

  • (ii) for identifying proceedings that concern matters of genuine public interest:

• (f) empowering the Registrar or a Deputy Registrar of the Supreme Court to postpone the payment of a fee pending the determination of—

  • (i) an application for the exercise of a power specified in paragraph (d); or

  • (ii) an application for review under section 40:

• (g) providing for the postponement under the regulations of the payment of a fee, including (without limitation) providing—

  • (i) for the recovery of the fee after the expiry of the period of postponement; and

  • (ii) for restrictions to apply (after the expiry of the period of postponement and for so long as the fee remains unpaid) on the steps that may be taken in the proceeding in respect of which the fee is payable:

• (h) providing for the manner in which an application for the exercise of a power specified in paragraph (d) or paragraph (f) is to be made, including (without limitation) requiring the application to be in a form approved for the purpose by the chief executive of the Department for Courts.

(2) No fee is payable for an application for the exercise of a power specified in paragraph (d) or paragraph (f) of subsection (1).

(1) A person aggrieved by a decision of the Registrar or a Deputy Registrar under regulations under section 39(1)(d) may apply to a Judge of the Supreme Court for a review of the decision.

(2) An application must be made within—

• (a) 20 working days after the date on which the applicant is notified of the decision; or

• (b) any further time the Judge allows on application made for that purpose before or after the expiration of that period.

(3) The application may be made informally.

(4) The review—

• (a) must be conducted by rehearing:

• (b) may be dealt with on the papers, unless the Judge decides otherwise.

(5) The Judge may confirm, modify, or reverse the decision.

(6) No fee is payable for an application under this section.

Sections 99B to 99D of the Judicature Act 1908 (which relate to the appointment of technical advisers to give advice in appeals in proceedings involving questions arising from expert evidence) apply to the Supreme Court and proceedings in the Supreme Court as if references in those sections to the Court of Appeal were references to the Supreme Court.

(1) No appeal to Her Majesty in Council lies or may be brought from or in respect of any civil or criminal decision of a New Zealand court made after 31 December 2003—

• (a) whether by leave or special leave of any court or of Her Majesty in Council, or otherwise; and

• (b) whether by virtue of any Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom or of New Zealand, or the Royal prerogative, or otherwise.

(2) Subsection (1) is subject to section 50.

The Judicature Act 1908 is amended by inserting, after section 4, the following sections:

Section 57 of the Judicature Act 1908 is amended by repealing subsection (2), and substituting the following subsection:

(1) Section 99B(1) of the Judicature Act 1908 is amended by omitting the word “civil”.

(2) Section 99B(4) of the Judicature Act 1908 is consequentially repealed.

Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993 is amended by inserting, after section 58, the following sections:

The enactments specified in Part 1 of Schedule 1 are amended in the manner indicated in that schedule.

(1) The enactments specified in Part 2 of Schedule 1 or Part 1 of Schedule 3 are amended in the manner indicated in that schedule.

(2) The enactments specified in Schedule 2 are repealed.

(3) The enactments specified in Part 2 of Schedule 3 are amended by omitting the word “Supreme” wherever it occurs, and substituting in each case the word “High”.

(4) Regulations 2 and 3 of the Law Practitioners (Victoria Reciprocity) Order 1937 (SR 1937/242) are amended by omitting the word “Supreme” wherever it occurs without being immediately followed by the words “Court of Victoria”, and substituting in each case the word “High”.

(5) This section has effect as if, at the close of 31 December 2003, section 12 of the Judicature Amendment Act 1979 had ceased to apply to the Statutes Amendment Act 1947, the Law Practitioners (Victoria Reciprocity) Order 1937, and the enactments specified in Schedule 3.

On 1 January 2004, the following Imperial enactments cease to have effect as part of the law of New Zealand:

• (a) the Imperial enactments listed in Part 1 of Schedule 4:

• (b) the Imperial subordinate legislation listed in Part 2 of Schedule 4.

(1) The Privy Council may hear and determine, or continue to hear and determine,—

• (a) an appeal against a final judgment of the Court of Appeal made before 1 January 2004, or made after 31 December 2003 in a proceeding whose hearing was completed before 1 January 2004, where—

  • (i) the matter in dispute on the appeal amounts to or is of the value of $5,000 or upwards; or

  • (ii) the appeal involves, directly or indirectly, some claim or question to or respecting property or some civil right amounting to or of the value of $5,000 or upwards; or

• (b) an appeal arising out of a successful application to a New Zealand court (whether made before, on, or after 1 January 2004) for leave to appeal to the Privy Council against a decision of the Court of Appeal—

  • (i) made before 1 January 2004; or

  • (ii) made after 31 December 2003 in a proceeding whose hearing was completed before 1 January 2004; or

• (c) an appeal arising out of a successful application to the Privy Council (whether made before, on, or after 1 January 2004) for special leave to appeal to it against a decision of the Court of Appeal—

  • (i) made before 1 January 2004; or

  • (ii) made after 31 December 2003 in a proceeding whose hearing was completed before 1 January 2004.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to an appeal if—

• (a) the Privy Council has not begun hearing the appeal; and

• (b) all parties agree in writing that an application should be made to the Supreme Court for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court against the decision concerned.

(1) This subsection applies to a decision if—

• (a) it was made by any New Zealand court before 1 January 2004; or

• (b) it was made by the Court of Appeal after 31 December 2003 in a proceeding whose hearing was completed before 1 January 2004.

(2) There is no right to appeal to the Supreme Court against a decision to which subsection (1) applies if—

• (a) the Privy Council has already heard or begun hearing an appeal against it; or

• (b) a New Zealand court has declined to give leave to appeal to the Privy Council against it and the Privy Council has not later given special leave to appeal against it; or

• (c) the Privy Council has declined to give special leave to appeal against it; or

• (d) all the parties to the proceeding in which it was made have not agreed in writing that an application should be made to the Supreme Court for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court against it.

(3) Subsection (2) overrides sections 7 to 10.

(1) The following applications must be determined as if sections 42 and 49 had not been enacted:

• (a) all applications to a New Zealand court (whether made before, on, or after 1 January 2004) for leave to appeal to the Privy Council against—

  • (i) a decision of a New Zealand court made before 1 January 2004; or

  • (ii) a decision of the Court of Appeal delivered after 31 December 2003 in a proceeding whose hearing was completed before 1 January 2004:

• (b) all applications to the Privy Council (whether made before, on, or after 1 January 2004) for special leave to appeal to it against—

  • (i) a decision of a New Zealand court made before 1 January 2004; or

  • (ii) a decision of the Court of Appeal delivered after 31 December 2003 in a proceeding whose hearing was completed before 1 January 2004.

(2) All appeals that, by virtue of section 50(1), the Privy Council may hear and determine, or continue to hear and determine, must be heard and determined as if—

• (a) sections 42 and 49 had not been enacted; and

• (b) the reference in section 112(1) of the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act 2003 to the Supreme Court included a reference to the Privy Council.

(1) In subsection (2), leave application means an application to the Supreme Court for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court.

(2) Until the commencement of the first rules made under section 51C of the Judicature Act 1908 (or under that section and section 409 of the Crimes Act 1961) containing provisions regulating the making of leave applications,—

• (a) the rules for the time being in force under that section (or those sections), with all necessary modifications, apply to leave applications as if they were applications for leave to appeal to the Court of Appeal against a decision of the High Court; but

• (b) the Chief Justice may issue practice directions—

  • (i) modifying the application of those rules to leave applications; or

  • (ii) providing for any matter (relating to leave applications) that those rules do not provide for.

(3) Until the appointment of the first Registrar of the Supreme Court, the Registrar and every Deputy Registrar or officer of the Court of Appeal is also the Registrar or a Deputy Registrar or officer of the Supreme Court.

(4) Until the establishment of the first Supreme Court Registry, the Court of Appeal Registry is also the Supreme Court Registry.

(1) A person does not have a right to appeal to a particular New Zealand court or the Privy Council on any grounds against a decision made before 1 January 2004 unless, when the decision was made, the person had the right to appeal against the decision to that court on those grounds.

(2) Subsection (1) does not limit or affect the right of any person to appeal to a New Zealand court on any grounds against a decision made—

• (a) on or after 1 January 2004; but

• (b) on appeal against a decision—

  • (i) made before 1 January 2004; or

  • (ii) made at any time on appeal against a decision made before 1 January 2004.

(1) The Supreme Court cannot begin hearing appeals until after 30 June 2004.

(2) Before 1 July 2004, the Supreme Court can take any steps preliminary to hearing appeals, including considering and determining applications for leave to appeal to it, and interlocutory matters.