Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia Australian Parliamentary Delegation 120th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (4-10 April 2009) and a Bilateral visit to Switzerland (11-18 April 2009) June 2009 © Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2009 ISBN 978-1-74229-128-4 This report was printed by the Senate Printing Unit, Parliament House, Canberra. TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface v PART ONE Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), 120th Assembly Chapter 1 Inter-Parliamentary Union 1 Chapter 2 120th IPU Assembly 5 Chapter 3 184th Session of the Governing Council 15 Chapter 4 254th Session of the Executive Committee 23 Chapter 5 Meeting of Women Parliamentarians 25 Chapter 6 Subsidiary bodies and committees, other activities and elections and appointments 29 Chapter 7 Association of Secretaries-General of Parliaments 43 PART TWO Bilateral visit to Switzerland Chapter 8 Bilateral visit to Switzerland 49 Appendices Appendix 1 - First Committee – IPU Final Resolution on: Advancing nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, and securing the entry into force of the comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty: The role of parliaments Appendix 2 - Second committee - IPU Final Resolution on: Climate change, sustainable development models, and renewable energies Appendix 3 - Third committee - IPU Final Resolution on: Freedom of expression and the right to information Appendix 4 - IPU Resolution on the Emergency Item on: The role of parliaments in mitigating the social and political impact of the international economic and financial crisis on the most vulnerable sectors of the global community, especially in Africa Appendix 5 - Report: Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians PREFACE Members of the Delegation Leader Mr Harry Jenkins, MP Speaker of the House of Representatives Member for Scullin, Victoria Australian Labor Party Deputy Leader Senator the Hon. Judith Troeth Victoria Liberal Party of Australia Members Ms Annette Ellis, MP Member for Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australian Labor Party (IPU only) The Hon. Roger Price, MP Member for Chifley, New South Wales Australian Labor Party The Hon. Bronwyn Bishop, MP Member for Mackellar, New South Wales Liberal Party of Australia The Delegation was accompanied by Mr Neil Bessell, Secretary to the Delegation, Department of the Senate, Ms Debra Biggs, Adviser to the Speaker, Mr Nicholas Sergi, Adviser, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (IPU only)) and Mr Jeff Smith, Australian Federal Police (IPU only). Mrs Michele Jenkins and Mrs Robyn Price also accompanied the delegation. Briefings, assistance and acknowledgements The delegation received a comprehensive and informative briefing from officers of DFAT and the Parliamentary Library on its visit to Switzerland. In relation to the IPU, DFAT and other agencies provided comments on the draft resolutions to be considered by the IPU standing committees. The delegation thanks Mr Nicholas Sergi and his colleagues at DFAT and other agencies for providing this useful advice. The delegation also recognises the excellent advice and support provided by Mr Sergi during the IPU Assembly in Addis Ababa. Thanks are also extended to Mr Jeff Smith (AFP) for the highly professional and tireless assistance that he provided in Addis Ababa. v The delegation wishes to recognise the considerable assistance and advice provided by departmental officers, particularly Mr Chris King, to Mr Price MP who was the co-rapporteur for the IPU’s debate on nuclear-non-proliferation and disarmament. The final resolution reflects the outstanding role that Australia played in the IPU on this important issue. The delegation also thanks Ms Fiona Way, Parliamentary Relations Office, for her invaluable administrative support and assistance, the staff at HRG Travel and Mr Tony Styles, Finance Section, Department of the Senate. Conclusions The delegation wishes to draw to the attention of members and senators the following matters arising from its work at the IPU and its meetings in Switzerland: Participation of Pacific nation states in the Inter-Parliamentary Union At recent IPU Assemblies, members of the Australian IPU delegation have noted that few, if any, Pacific nations attend meetings of the IPU and have held informal discussions on ways to facilitate the participation of Pacific countries in the important work of the IPU. To this end, the delegation raised the matter at its meeting with Mr Anders Johnsson, Secretary of the IPU, in Geneva in April 2009. The delegation was pleased to learn that the IPU President Dr Theo-Ben Gurirab is very much aware of this issue and assured Mr Johnsson that it would welcome further discussions with him and the IPU President on proposals to encourage the participation of Pacific nations at the IPU. The delegation therefore considers that the Speaker and members of the Australian IPU delegation should continue to liaise with the IPU and also with Pacific island nation states to encourage attendance and participation of these Parliaments at IPU Assemblies. Engaging with the United Nations system and other international agencies In Switzerland, the delegation participated in a comprehensive program that allowed it to gain an appreciation of key international developments. The delegation's program included meetings with several United Nations agencies in Geneva, such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the World Meteorological Organisation, the International Labour Organisation and the Office of the United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights. Other meetings included the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Secretary-General of the IPU, a lunch hosted by Ambassador Caroline Millar with several Australians actively involve in the UN system and a dinner hosted by Ambassador Peter Grey with Dr Francis Gurry, the newly elected Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organisation and Mr Keith Rockwell, Director of the Information and External Relations Division, WTO. The delegation found these meetings highly informative and useful and is of the view that it is important that members of the Australian Parliament continue to have the opportunity to engage and increase their understanding of the roles and work of UN system and other international agencies. The delegation therefore considers that the program for outward parliamentary delegations should include specific programs to visit UN agencies and other international organisations. Members of the Delegation (Mr Roger Price, Senator Judith Troeth, Mr Harry Jenkins, Mrs Bronwyn Bishop and Ms Annette Ellis) HARRY JENKINS Part One 120th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Chapter 1 Inter-Parliamentary Union IPU Council and Assembly 1.1 The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is the international organisation that brings together representatives of the Parliaments of sovereign states. 1.2 At its Assemblies, which are held twice a year, members of national delegations participate in the following: • the Assembly itself, being a focal point for worldwide parliamentary dialogue on political, economic, social and cultural issues of international significance; • the Inter-Parliamentary Council, comprising three delegates from each affiliated group; and • specialist committees established by the IPU and specific meetings such as the Meeting of Women Parliamentarians, the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians and the Committee on Middle East Questions. 1.3 A 17-member Executive Committee administers the Union and supervises its annual program and budget. Geo-political meetings 1.4 The recently amended rules of the IPU specifically recognise the role and function of the geo-political groups. These groups are as follows: Africa, Arab, Asia- Pacific, Eurasia, Latin America and the Twelve Plus. 1.5 The Australian delegation participates in the meetings of the Twelve Plus Group (the geo-political group centred originally on European Union membership but now including several other countries) and also the Asia-Pacific Group. In accordance with the new rules, the Australian Group has resolved that it will seek election to any position in the IPU, including participation on drafting committees and specifically the Executive Committee of the IPU, under the auspices of the Asia-Pacific group. 1.6 Nevertheless, the delegation attends and participates actively in the work of the Twelve Plus Group. 1.7 The meetings of the Twelve Plus and Asia-Pacific foster multilateral contact and provide the delegation with an important opportunity to put its point of view in a relatively informal atmosphere, and to cement friendships with other countries. 1 Membership of the Union 1.8 The 153 members of the IPU are as follows: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho,