New Zealand Parliamentarians to attend London seminar

Members of Parliament Tim Macindoe and Andrew Williams will be in London this week attending the 63rd Westminster Seminar on Parliamentary Practice and Procedure.

The seminar is being run by the United Kingdom branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) at the Houses of Parliament at Westminster.

The seminar provides delegates with a forum to study the structure, administration and funding of a parliament, the work of its key office holders, and the practices and procedures within the Westminster legislative framework. It will cover a wide range of topics including accountability, transparency, the role of the opposition, relationships with the media, and the management and administration of Parliament.

While attending the Seminar, Mr Macindoe has also been invited to take part in a panel discussion entitled ‘Electoral Systems’. This session will ask why electoral systems matter and why different voting systems are used in different political contexts.

Mr Macindoe has been asked to contribute an overview of New Zealand’s move from a first-past-the-post to a mixed member proportional electoral system.

The Speaker of the House, the Rt Hon David Carter, said the seminar is a valuable learning forum for New Zealand parliamentarians.

“Our participation in this annual seminar provides an excellent opportunity for New Zealand parliamentarians to exchange experiences and to learn more about the Westminster system as it is practiced in a diverse range of countries across the Commonwealth. It is an excellent professional development opportunity for members, and an event at which I am sure New Zealand will make a valuable contribution.”

The seminar runs from 15 to 21 June.

ENDS

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