J.2I Reports of the Official Inter-Parliamentary Relations Programme 1 January – 31 December 2009 Forty-ninth Parliament Hon Dr Lockwood Smith, Speaker Presented to the House of Representatives 2 OFFICIAL INTER-PARLIAMENTARY RELATIONS PROGRAMME 1 JANUARY – 31 DECEMBER 2009 J.2I Contents 1 Foreword 5 2 Outward Programme 7 Commonwealth Parliamentary Association United Kingdom Branch International Parliamentary Conference: International Migration and Human Trafficking 9 Commonwealth Parliamentary Association United Kingdom Branch 58th Westminster Seminar on Parliamentary Practice and Procedures 21 21st Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Seminar 31 Visit of New Zealand delegation to Westminster 40 40th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Australian and Pacific Regions Presiding Officers and Clerks Conference 52 Australasian Study of Parliament Group Conference 67 7th Session of the Canadian Parliamentary Seminar 75 Commonwealth Parliamentary Association United Kingdom Branch 4th International Parliamentary Governance Seminar 80 3 Inward Programme 91 Senator the Hon John Hogg, President of the Senate of the Parliament of Australia 93 Parliamentary Delegation from the Legislative Assembly of the Kingdom of Tonga led by the Speaker, the Hon Tu‘ilakepa 98 Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories of the Commonwealth Parliament of Australia 103 Joint Parliamentary Delegation from the National Congress of Brazil 109 Alex Fergusson, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament 115 Dr William F Shija, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association 124 Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Delegation from the Parliament of Canada 129 3 4 OFFICIAL INTER-PARLIAMENTARY RELATIONS PROGRAMME 1 JANUARY – 31 DECEMBER 2009 J.2I 1 Foreword Every year, members from across all parties are chosen to represent our Parliament in inter-parliamentary events such as seminars, conferences or bilateral visits. These engagements contribute to placing New Zealand on the international parliamentary stage, as well as providing our members with the opportunity to develop professionally and expand their international networks. The Inter-Parliamentary Relations Programme allows us to further New Zealand’s interests, such as free-trade agreements, educational and cultural exchanges and people-to-people contact. This process takes place in two ways: through our members attending events overseas, or hosting foreign delegations visiting our Parliament. While the former is widely reported, little is known about the ever growing number of overseas parliaments wanting to visit New Zealand to learn about our internationally respected parliamentary system. From this year on, and in the interest of transparency and accountability, I will report on the New Zealand Parliament’s engagement with the international parliamentary community. This includes an account of all of those parliamentary visits to us, and those events that our members have attended representing the New Zealand Parliament and which have not been reported separately. I wish to thank both our members – for giving their valuable time to participate in the programme and for contributing their reports – and those from parliaments around the world for their interest in learning about our parliamentary system. Hon Dr Lockwood Smith Speaker 6 OFFICIAL INTER-PARLIAMENTARY RELATIONS PROGRAMME 1 JANUARY – 31 DECEMBER 2009 J.2I 2 Outward Programme The official Outward Inter-Parliamentary Relations Programme includes bilateral visits to other parliaments and participation by members at parliamentary conferences and seminars. The table below outlines each outward inter-parliamentary event that members of the New Zealand Parliament participated in during the 2009 calendar year and whether a report has been presented to the House and published separately or whether a report forms part of this report. Dates Event Delegates Report 4–7 Conference of Commonwealth Lindsay Tisch January Speakers and Presiding Officers– Steering Committee Meeting, Mozambique 11–15 17th Annual Asia-Pacific Lindsay Tisch* Delegation January Parliamentary Forum, Vientiane, Metiria Turei Report J.2A Lao People’s Democratic Republic Chris Hipkins 2–7 CPA UK Branch International Jackie Blue* See pages February Parliamentary Conference: Su’a William Sio 9–20 International Migration and Human Trafficking, London, United Kingdom 1–13 CPA UK Branch 58th Eric Roy See pages March Westminster Seminar on 21–30 Parliamentary Practice and Procedures, London, United Kingdom 3–10 April 120th Inter-Parliamentary Union Simon Bridges* Delegation Assembly, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Nikki Kaye Report J.2B Stuart Nash 15–25 Speaker’s Delegation to Japan and Hon Dr Lockwood Delegation April Vietnam Smith* Report J.2E Dr Ashraf Choudhary Nikki Wagner Raymond Huo John Boscawen 24–30 May 21st CPA Commonwealth Clare Curran See pages Parliamentary Seminar, Sydney, 31–39 Australia 21–27 June Westminster Visit, London, Amy Adams* See pages United Kingdom Carol Beaumont 40–51 Dr Kennedy Graham 7 J.2I OFFICIAL INTER-PARLIAMENTARY RELATIONS PROGRAMME 1 JANUARY – 31 DECEMBER 2009 Rahui Katene Iain Lees-Galloway Michael Woodhouse 6–8 July Australia–New Zealand Scrutiny Charles Chauvel* Committee of Legislation Conference, Amy Adams Report I.16D Canberra, Australia presented to the House 7–10 July South Pacific Familiarisation John Hayes* Visit, Tonga, Samoa, Niue and Jacqui Dean the Cook Islands Dr Paul Hutchison Todd McClay Hon Luamanuvao Winnie Laban H V Ross Robertson Carmel Sepuloni 7–11 July 40th Commonwealth Australia Lindsay Tisch See pages and Pacific Regions Presiding 52–66 Officers and Clerks Conference, Tarawa, Kiribati 10–14 Primary Production Joint Shane Ardern* Committee August Committee Exchange with Sandra Goudie Report I.11A Australia, Canberra, Adelaide and Port Lincoln Colin King Brendon Burns Hon Damien O’Connor Dr Ashraf Choudhary 17–19 Australasian Study of Parliament Chris Auchinvole* See pages September Group Conference, Hobart, Charles Chauvel 67–74 Australia 1–6 55th CPA Conference, Arusha, Shane Ardern* Delegation October Tanzania Sue Kedgley Report J.2D Carmel Sepuloni 13–22 Visit to the European Parliament, Hone Harawira* Delegation October Brussels, Belgium and 121st IPU Katrina Shanks Report J.2C Assembly, Geneva, Switzerland Dr Rajen Prasad 18–24 7th Session of the Canadian Dr Paul Hutchison* See pages October Parliamentary Seminar, Ottawa, Sue Moroney 75–79 Canada 8–21 CPA UK Branch 4th Kelvin Davis See pages November International Parliamentary 80–90 Governance Seminar, London, Brussels and Edinburgh * indicates the delegation leader 8 OFFICIAL INTER-PARLIAMENTARY RELATIONS PROGRAMME 1 JANUARY – 31 DECEMBER 2009 J.2I Commonwealth Parliamentary Association United Kingdom Branch International Parliamentary Conference: International Migration and Human Trafficking London, United Kingdom 2–7 February 2009 Introduction In February each year, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) United Kingdom Branch hosts a conference on an issue of international parliamentary importance. The aim of the 2009 conference on “International Migration and Human Trafficking: Maximizing Benefits, Overcoming Challenges” was to equip parliamentarians to hold their Executive governments to account more effectively on the challenges of migration management and human trafficking. Delegation members When selecting delegates to attend the conference, parliaments were encouraged to choose parliamentarians with an interest in migration issues and Commonwealth affairs. The New Zealand delegation to the conference comprised Dr Jackie Blue MP (delegation leader) and Su’a William Sio MP. They joined over 40 other delegates from both Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth legislatures, representing altogether 29 parliaments at the conference. Event programme The objectives of the conference were to: · address contemporary migration management issues for origin and destination countries · explore linkages between migration and development · review current migration management approaches and their implications for different categories of migrants · explore the links between climate change and migration · consider strategies to curb human trafficking and encourage migration that are beneficial to all. The conference, which brought together ministers, leading academics, parliamentarians and experts from around the world, consisted of presentations, discussions and workshops, providing numerous opportunities to discuss diverse interests and find common ground. The programme is attached. Conclusion For the New Zealand delegation, the conference highlighted the importance of well managed migration policies with cross-party participation. The benefits of both 9 J.2I OFFICIAL INTER-PARLIAMENTARY RELATIONS PROGRAMME 1 JANUARY – 31 DECEMBER 2009 international and regional meetings were recognised, as was the value of ratifying international conventions in the area. Following these discussions, we analysed New Zealand’s response to human trafficking and our notes are attached. At the conclusion of the conference, a communiqué (see attached) and toolkit were issued, which the New Zealand delegation joined in supporting. The aims of the main resolutions at the conference were to provide parliamentarians with the resources to hold Executives to account on the challenges of managing international migration, and to curb human trafficking without compromising human rights. Dr Jackie Blue MP Delegation Leader 10 OFFICIAL INTER-PARLIAMENTARY RELATIONS