[9] When the draft Statute of Westminster was released, New Zealand Prime Minister Gordon Coates who attended the 1926 conference, described the declaration as a "poisonous document",[10] while his predecessor (the first New Zealand-born prime minister, who also attended the conference) Sir Francis Bell complained of "damned Statute of Westminster propaganda.

[10] At the opening of the 1930 Imperial Conference which drafted the Statute of Westminster, the Prime Minister at the time, George Forbes stated: "New Zealand has not, in any great measure, been concerned with the recent development in the constitutional relations between the members of the British Commonwealth of Nations.

"[9]Even with the election of the First Labour Government, which took a more independent line on foreign policy (for example, opposing moves to appease Nazi Germany)[12] adoption of the Statute was not seen as important.

During the Address-In-Reply debate, the National opposition passionately opposed the proposed adoption, claiming the Government was being disloyal to the United Kingdom.

The National opposition prompted the adoption of the Statute in 1947 when its leader and future Prime Minister Sidney Holland introduced a private members' bill to abolish the New Zealand Legislative Council.

[16][17] This claim was challenged at the time by the opposition, who argued the government was attempting to stall the debate on abolishing the upper house.

"[21] He further added that Viscount Cranbourne, former Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, had been consulted on the adoption and did not think to pass the Bill would amount to severance from the British Empire.

[21] Dr Martyn Finlay stated that the Statute would have no effect on the Treaty of Waitangi, but MP for Hauraki, Andy Sutherland questioned this contention.

National MP for Remuera Ronald Algie raised concerns for the continued access to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.

"[25] He nevertheless supported the Bill at its final reading, since it gave New Zealand's parliament the ability to abolish the Legislative Council, which was National Party policy.