MEDIA STATEMENT

Thursday 27 May 2010 at 2.15pm

Compendium of Inter-Parliamentary Relations reports presented

For the first time, reports on members of Parliament’s engagement in the Official Inter-Parliamentary Relations Programme have been compiled into a single volume and presented to the House.

Reports of the Official Inter-Parliamentary Relations Programme 1 January – 31 December 2009 covers all Guest of Parliament visits that the New Zealand Parliament hosted last year, and all overseas events that members participated in, which have not already been reported separately.

“Through the inter-parliamentary relations programme the New Zealand Parliament engages with the international parliamentary community on global issues, facilitating opportunities for our members to develop professionally,” the Speaker, Hon Dr Lockwood Smith, said.

“Wider reporting on the programme will increase the public’s knowledge about its nature and value.”

“The reports provide a valuable insight into the growing number of overseas parliaments visiting New Zealand to learn about our internationally respected parliamentary system. It also illustrates the wide range of issues that our members are engaging on internationally when they are attending overseas events”, he said.

Dr Smith announced that Reports of the Official Inter-Parliamentary Relations Programme will now be an annual publication presented to the House by the Speaker.

“I am satisfied that with the presentation of this compendium, all events that are part of the inter-parliamentary relations programme will now be appropriately reported. This increases the accountability and transparency of the programme.”

The publication can be viewed at
http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Presented/Papers/6/8/5/49DBHOH_PAP19939_1-Reports-of-the-Official-Inter-Parliamentary-Relations.htm
[Scoop coy: DBHOH_PAP_19939_ReportsoftheOfficialInterParliamen.pdf]

ENDS

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