The Chief Justices of the colonies wanted the right to appeal decisions of the High Court to the Privy Council on constitutional matters . They were worried that the limits of the powers of the Commonwealth or States could be changed by parliament . Before the Bill was passed , however , one final change was made by the imperial government , upon lobbying by the Chief Justices of the colonies , so that the right to appeal from the High Court to the Privy Council on constitutional matters concerning the limits of the powers of the Commonwealth or States could not be curtailed by parliament .