NZ SUPREME COURT "UP AND RUNNING". . .

See here. Amid complaints over the thin majority in favor of such a momentous step, the New Zealand parliament passed legislation last year creating the Supreme Court and making it, rather than the Privy Council in London, the highest court of appeals for New Zealanders. Most commonwealth countries have already abolished appeals to the Privy Council.

For some commentary, see here, here, here and here. The basic lines of the debate were whether the establishment of the Supreme Court would represent a step in New Zealand's national political development or the loss of an impartial avenue of appeal for NZ citizens. The Head Heeb, for example, writes:

Still, there's room to wonder whether something is being lost through the abolition of Privy Council appeals. Privy Council jurisdiction meant that New Zealanders could, if necessary, take their case to a court composed of judges from throughout the Commonwealth that sat thousands of miles from Auckland, far removed from local prejudices and political influence. As an equivalent, imagine if nine Canadian, British and Australian judges had been called in to hear Bush v. Gore. The Privy Council provides a perspective that a purely domestic court - in any country - might lack. (emphasis added)

On the other side, see this press release from the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions (in favor of abolishment), this press release from Keith Locke, a Green Party MP (also in favor of abolishment), and this press release from the Maxim Institute, a conservative think tank (against abolishment).