Report of the Parliamentary Delegation Led by the Speaker to Germany, the Netherlands and Norway 25 September – 5 October 2007
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J.2M Report of the Parliamentary Delegation led by the Speaker to Germany, The Netherlands and Norway 25 September – 5 October 2007 Hon Margaret Wilson MP, Speaker Forty-eighth Parliament Presented to the House of Representatives SPEAKER’S DELEGATION TO GERMANY, THE NETHERLANDS AND NORWAY 2007 J.2M Contents BACKGROUND...........................................................................................................5 INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................5 OBJECTIVES................................................................................................................5 GERMANY...................................................................................................................6 New Zealand relationship..........................................................................................7 Institutional framework..............................................................................................7 Themes.......................................................................................................................9 Comment....................................................................................................................9 THE NETHERLANDS..................................................................................................9 New Zealand relationship........................................................................................10 Institutional framework............................................................................................10 Themes.....................................................................................................................11 Comment..................................................................................................................12 NORWAY....................................................................................................................12 New Zealand relationship........................................................................................13 Institutional framework............................................................................................13 Themes.....................................................................................................................14 Comment..................................................................................................................14 APPENDIX 1...............................................................................................................16 Members of the Delegation......................................................................................16 APPENDIX 2...............................................................................................................17 Programme...............................................................................................................17 APPENDIX 3...............................................................................................................25 Speech at reception hosted by Ambassador, Consul-General and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise................................................................................................25 SPEAKER’S DELEGATION TO GERMANY, THE NETHERLANDS AND NORWAY 2007 J.2M Report of the Parliamentary Delegation led by the Speaker to Germany, The Netherlands and Norway 25 September – 5 October 2007 BACKGROUND The annual Speaker’s delegation adds a further dimension to building New Zealand’s bilateral relationships with other countries by developing relations between parliamentarians. Each year Parliament hosts about 50 delegations from other countries. In turn the New Zealand Parliament sends an annual delegation, led by the Speaker, to countries considered strategically important for political, economic, trade and cultural reasons. The membership of the 2007 Speaker’s delegation is set out in Appendix 1. INTRODUCTION This year’s visit involved travel to three countries with which New Zealand has longstanding and diverse relationships: the Federal Republic of Germany, Kingdom of The Netherlands and Kingdom of Norway. The prime purpose of the tour was to enable members of the delegation to study other Parliaments’ constitutional arrangements. While all three countries have their own particular relevance, Germany is the system on which New Zealand’s electoral system is modelled. I thought it would be particularly useful for the delegation, who as new Members have known no other electoral system, to see other electoral systems at work. In addition, there were opportunities in each country for Members to arrange meetings to pursue their own policy interests. The visit programme was put together following close consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the New Zealand Embassies in Berlin and The Hague. I would like to acknowledge the advice and help provided by our embassy staff in Hamburg and Berlin: Ambassador Alan Cook, Consul-General and Trade Commissioner Jennifer Scoular, Second Secretary Shannon Ward; in The Hague and Amsterdam: Ambassador Rachel Fry and Research Assistant Peter Stephens; in Oslo, Ambassador Rachel Fry. The programme is set out in Appendix 2. OBJECTIVES New Zealand enjoys a unique relationship with the three countries visited. Our electoral system is arguably more European than Australasian, which meant there was much to 5 J.2M SPEAKER’S DELEGATION TO GERMANY, THE NETHERLANDS AND NORWAY 2007 observe. I was particularly pleased to have the opportunity to meet and discuss constitutional and electoral issues with leading academics as well as parliamentarians. The objectives established for the visit sought to provide an opportunity for individual members of the delegation to advance their personal interests as well as support New Zealand’s wider foreign policy and trade objectives in the countries to be visited. In many ways the trip built on and complemented the 2006 Speaker’s Tour to Belgium and Turkey which focused on the European Parliament and the European Union (EU). The European Union is our second largest trading partner and a major source of investment and ideas. Along with Brussels and Ankara, it increasingly plays a significant role in global politics. The objectives of the 2007 tour were to: • build relationships that promote understanding and goodwill between the New Zealand Parliament and the legislatures of Germany, The Netherlands and Norway • have productive exchanges on current areas of similar concern with an emphasis on electoral and constitutional issues, justice, integration, employment and industrial relations, health, ethical investment, women in politics, indigenous people’s issues, European Union, trade, agriculture, education, social policy and environmental issues • engage with members of Parliamentary Friendship Groups. GERMANY Our visit to Germany was confined to Hamburg and Berlin. The visit was well-timed as Hamburg is experimenting with some modifications to its electoral system. The official programme began in Hamburg which demonstrated our support for the strategic alliance between the cities of Auckland and Hamburg. Our visit emphasised the political, trade and economic links between Hamburg and New Zealand. Hamburg, one of the Federal Republic of Germany’s two city-states, is a vibrant port city and the second largest city in Germany. In terms of New Zealand’s trade and economic interests it is the most important German city. New Zealand has had a Consulate General in Hamburg for almost 20 years. New Zealand Trade and Enterprise has recently established its expanded regional office for Europe, Africa and the Middle East in Hamburg. It is a main port for exports and imports to and from New Zealand. The strategic alliance between Auckland and Hamburg is the result of dialogue and careful identification of particular areas where the two cities might benefit from collaboration. The Memorandum of Understanding focuses on expanding cooperation between the two cities on city development, sustainability, economic development, international relations life sciences and biotechnology and the integration of migrants. 6 SPEAKER’S DELEGATION TO GERMANY, THE NETHERLANDS AND NORWAY 2007 J.2M In Berlin, the focus was on the strong bilateral relationship founded on extensive linkages across many sectors. Our visit underscored the importance attached to developing and expanding that relationship with Germany. New Zealand’s relationship with Germany is good. A range of activities has encouraged Germany to see New Zealand as a natural partner in a globalising world. They are: • a working holiday scheme • a film co-production agreement • a 2007 review of the 1978 Science and Technology Cooperation agreement; and • the strategic alliance between Auckland and Hamburg. New Zealand relationship The delegation was briefed by the New Zealand Embassy on the New Zealand-German relationship. We were accompanied by the Ambassador, Alan Cook, and Shannon Ward, Second Secretary, at all times. In Hamburg we were met and accompanied by Jennifer Scoular, New Zealand Consul- General and Trade Commissioner. A reception at the wharenui at the Hamburg Museum of Ethnology, jointly organised by the New Zealand Embassy and the Consulate General, was a very appropriate beginning to our visit to Germany and provided the ‘wow factor’ for many of our guests. The occasion furthered Hamburg business and consular contacts and provided an opportunity for the delegation to