Report to Queensland Parliament Honourable Curtis Pitt MP Speaker of the Legislative Assembly
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Report to Queensland Parliament Honourable Curtis Pitt MP Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Parliamentary Delegation to Vanuatu 24-26 June 2019 1 Honourable Members I table this report for the information of the House on behalf of the Queensland Parliamentary Delegation to Vanuatu. The delegation comprised myself, the Member for Mirani, Stephen Andrew MP and George Hasanakos, Executive Officer, Office of the Speaker. Honourable Curtis Pitt MP Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Date: 26 July 2019 2 Purpose of the Travel The primary purpose of this travel was to visit the Vanuatu Parliament and sign a new twinning agreement between the Queensland Parliament and the National Parliament of Vanuatu. However the travel also included other events which supported the relationship between Queensland and Vanuatu. This included a trip to Ambae, the ancestral home of the Member for Mirani who is the first Member of the Queensland Parliament of South Sea Islander heritage. This bond was able to be a bridge for a stronger relationship between Queensland and Vanuatu. I thank the Honourable Member for his assistance in the trip and for his work in supporting closer relations between Queensland and Vanuatu. The trip was held between 24-26 June 2019. The itinerary is enclosed at Attachment A. The full details of events on the trip are set out in Attachment B. Clockwise from top left: Paining of a map of Vanuatu at the Cultural Centre; George Hasanakos discusses the return of residents to Ambae; Speaker the Hon. Curtis Pitt tries the Vanuatu Speaker’s Chair on for size; Mr Stephen Andrew MP, Hon. Alickson Vira MP and Mr Speaker with some Ambae chiefs. Accompanying persons I was accompanied by the Member for Mirani for events up until late afternoon on Tuesday 25 June. I was also accompanied by George Hasanakos, Executive Officer, Office of the Speaker for the duration of the trip. 3 Benefits obtained from this travel The benefits of the trip to Vanuatu are set out below in relation to each of the events attended. The benefits of the travel included; • Develop closer ties with the Vanuatu Parliament, Speaker Saimon and other Vanuatu Parliamentarians. • Developing closer ties with the highest levels of the Vanuatu Government • Honouring the links of Queensland’s South Sea Islander Community to Vanuatu • Strengthening relationships with key Vanuatu Parliament personnel. • Learning about the development needs of the Vanuatu Parliament as an institution • Conveying the goodwill of the Queensland Parliament to residents of the Island of Ambae who have experienced two full evacuations over the last two years due to earthquakes • Representation of the Queensland Parliament in Commonwealth Parliamentary Association activity. • Gain a greater awareness of political issues in Vanuatu The basis of the reporting requirement for this travel is detailed at Attachment C. 4 Attachment A - Travel itinerary MONDAY 24 JUNE 2019 10:40am Depart Brisbane International Airport (Duration: 2h 40m) (AEST) Hon. Curtis Pitt MP Mr Stephen Andrew MP Mr George Hasanakos 2:20pm Arrive Bauerfield International Airport, Port Vila, Vanuatu. (VUT) 2:25pm Welcome reception Venue: Bauerfield International Airport, Port Vila, Vanuatu 2:50pm Travel to Hotel 3:05pm Check into Hotel 3:45pm Travel to Office of Vanuatu President 4:00pm Meeting with President of Vanuatu, His Excellency Tallis Obed Moses Venue: Office of the Vanuatu President, Port Vila 5:00pm Travel to Hotel 5:50pm Travel to Blue Marlin Restaurant 6:00pm Dinner with the Australian High Commissioner to Vanuatu HE Jenny Da Rin Venue: Blue Marlin Restaurant, Numbatu, Port Vila 8:30pm Travel to Hotel TUESDAY 25 JUNE 2019 6:30am Travel to Bauerfield Domestic Airport, Port Vila 7:30am Depart Bauerfield Domestic Airport, Port Vila 8:45am Arrive Longana Airport, East Ambae 8:50am Travel and visit Ambae Communities 3:00pm Depart Longana Airport, East Ambae 5 3:30pm Arrive Walaha Airport, West Ambae 3:30pm Meeting with local residents 4:00pm Depart Walaha Airport, West Ambae Stephen Andrew leaves delegation and remains on West Ambae 6:00pm Arrive Bauerfield Domestic Airport, Port Vila 6:05pm Travel to Hotel 6:30pm Travel to Golden Port Restaurant 6:45pm Dinner with Speaker of Vanuatu Parliament, Hon. Esmon Saimon MP Venue: Golden Port Restaurant, Kumul Highway, Port Vila 8:30pm Travel to Hotel WEDNESDAY 26 JUNE 2019 8:15am Travel to Parliament of Vanuatu 8:30am Visit to Parliament of Vanuatu for signing of the Twinning Agreement 10:00am Travel to Hotel 11:00am Check out of Hotel 12:30pm Meeting with Vanuatu Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Ralph Regenvanu Venue: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Port Vila 1:00pm Travel to Bauerfield International Airport, Port Vila 2:00pm Debrief with Clerk of Vanuatu Parliament, Mr Raymond Manuake Venue: Bauerfield International Airport, Port Vila, Vanuatu 3:05pm Depart Bauerfield Domestic Airport, Port Vila (Duration: 3h 10m) (VUT) 5:15pm Arrive Brisbane International Airport (AEST) 6 Attachment B – Details of Events Welcome Reception Date: Monday 24 June 2019 Attendees: Hon. Curtis Pitt MP Speaker of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, Member for Mulgrave Mr Stephen Andrew MP Member for Mirani Hon. Esmon Saimon Speaker, Parliament of Vanuatu Mr. Roch Wamytan President, Congress of New Caledonia Hon. Edwin Amblus Macreveth First Deputy-Speaker, Parliament of Vanuatu Mr Raymond Manuake Clerk of Vanuatu Parliament Hon. Alickson Vira Member for Ambae, Vanuatu Parliament Mr Gaétan Ruru Interparliamentary Officer, Vanuatu Parliament Mr Greg Illingworth First Secretary, Political Section, Australian High Commission, Vanuatu Mr George Hasanakos Executive Officer, Office of the Speaker Venue: Bauerfield International Airport, Port Vila, Vanuatu Meeting Summary: The delegation was immediately met after departing the aircraft at Bauerfield International Airport, Port Vila, Vanuatu. The welcoming party led by the Speaker of the Vanuatu Parliament warmly greeted the Queensland delegates and a 20 minute discussion was held about the upcoming events and the relationship between the two parliaments. A warm discussion was also had about Mr Andrew’s ancestral links to Ambae. The President of the Congress of New Caledonia, Mr. Roch Wamytan was in attendance and he expressed an interest in closer relations with the Queensland Parliament. The reception finished with a traditional tribal welcome display. 7 Meeting with President of Vanuatu, His Excellency Tallis Obed Moses Date: Monday 24 June 2019 Attendees: His Excellency Tallis Obed Moses President, Republic of Vanuatu Hon. Curtis Pitt MP Speaker of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, Member for Mulgrave Mr Stephen Andrew MP Member for Mirani Mr George Hasanakos Executive Officer, Office of the Speaker Venue: Office of the Vanuatu President, Port Vila Meeting Summary: His Excellency Tallis Obed Moses invited the Queensland delegation to meet in his private office. Discussion was held about the links between Vanuatu and the Queensland, specifically the links between Vanuatu and Queensland South Sea Islanders. His Excellency recalled warmly his previous trips to Queensland. Further discussion was held about the benefits of twinning relationship between the Queensland and Vanuatu Parliaments and the Pacific seasonal worker program. 8 Dinner with the Australian High Commissioner to Vanuatu HE Jenny Da Rin Date: Monday 24 June 2019 Attendees: Her Excellency Jenny Da Rin Australian High Commissioner to Vanuatu Hon. Curtis Pitt MP Speaker of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, Member for Mulgrave Mr Stephen Andrew MP Member for Mirani Mr Greg Illingworth First Secretary, Political Section, Australian High Commission, Vanuatu Mr George Hasanakos Executive Officer, Office of the Speaker Venue: Blue Marlin Restaurant, Numbatu, Port Vila Meeting Summary: The Australian High Commissioner and her staff gave a detailed briefing about Vanuatu and Australian-Vanuatu relations. The Speaker gave a detailed briefing of the Queensland Parliament’s activities under the twinning relationship with the Vanuatu Parliament. A detailed discussion also took place about the situation on Ambae after the recent eruptions of the Manaro volcano and the subsequent evacuations was also held. 9 Visit to Ambae Villages Date: Tuesday 25 June 2019 Attendees: Hon. Curtis Pitt MP Speaker of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, Member for Mulgrave Mr Stephen Andrew MP Member for Mirani Hon. Alickson Vira Member for Ambae, Vanuatu Parliament Various Village and Tribal Chiefs Mr George Hasanakos Executive Officer, Office of the Speaker Venue: Ambae Meeting Summary: The Queensland Delegation and the Hon. Alickson Vira, member for Ambae were escorted to several villages in North-East Ambae by the local Police to be given traditional welcomes by local residents. At each village the delegation was offered local food and coconut water. The Queensland delegation was welcomed with official speeches and traditional dance and ceremony. The Speaker and Mr Andrew both gave speeches on behalf of Queensland at each village Mr Andrew was made a tribal chief in a ceremony and was taken to the beach where his ancestors were forcibly taken to Queensland in the late 19th century. The delegation was each gifted a traditional walking stick and welcome mat. Mr Hasanakos donated his walking stick and welcome mat to the Parliament for future display to commemorate the visit. The return flights taking the delegation from Port Vila (to Longana and Walaha airports on Ambae) were paid for by the Vanuatu Government. Mr Andrew