While the Freedom of speech Immunity, contained for example in section 58(1) of the Constitution, may have had its origins in the desire to protect legislators from the monarch, it now has a much broader rationale - the promotion of open debate and the immunity offered is expected to prevent what the courts elsewhere have called the 'chilling' effect of defamation law. It is the pre-eminent immunity but it is not absolute and may be subject to manner and form requirements agreed by Parliament. The privilege is also contained in the Act, but this is probably unnecessary. The present act also explicitly extends the immunity offered to members so as to include petitions and resolutions brought by a member. This is nonetheless an aspect of the freedom of speech privilege (see Section 8 of the Act).