How Parliament works

Relationships with other parliaments

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Date: 25 January 2012
Related documents
Inward delegations and visits Parliamentary Friendship Groups Outward delegations and visits Inter-parliamentary organisations
Contact details
Parliamentary Relations Secretariat Office of the Clerk Parliament Buildings Wellington New Zealand Tel: + 64 4 817 9478 Fax: +64 4 817 6422
Email contacts
Parliamentary Relations Secretariat
Related links
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Inter-Parliamentary Union

The New Zealand Parliament supports and promotes the development of parliamentary democracy overseas, particularly in the Pacific region. It does this though a programme of inward and outward inter-parliamentary visits, membership of international inter-parliamentary organisations, the establishment of Parliamentary Friendship Groups, and hosting and contributing to parliamentary conferences, workshops and study programmes.

The New Zealand Parliament’s relationships with other parliamentary organisations are managed through the Parliamentary Relations Secretariat of the Office of the Clerk. The Secretariat provides inter-parliamentary policy and strategy advice to the Speaker, members of Parliament and the Clerk of the House.

Inward visits

The New Zealand Parliament hosts and receives various visitors every year who visit to learn about our parliamentary practices and procedures.

Visitors include:

Presiding Officers of other Parliaments or parliamentary organisations
Select Committees
Friendship Groups
Members of Parliament
Parliamentary Officials.

Outward visits

The New Zealand Parliament participates in inter-parliamentary events each year. Through this programme Presiding Officers and delegations of members of Parliament attend conferences and seminars of inter-parliamentary organisations of which the New Zealand Parliament is a member. They also participate in bilateral visits to other parliaments, select committee conferences and exchanges, and professional development events.

Inter-parliamentary organisations

As a member of the international parliamentary community, it is important that New Zealand members of Parliament participate actively in a range of engagements with other parliaments, especially those in the Pacific region. A means of doing this is through membership of inter-parliamentary organisations.

The New Zealand Parliament is an active member of the following inter-parliamentary organisations:

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
Inter-Parliamentary Union
Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum.

Parliamentary Friendship Groups

Parliamentary Friendship Groups are informal groups of members of Parliament who organise themselves to promote parliamentary relations between the New Zealand Parliament and other parliaments. Parliamentary Friendship Groups for the 50th Parliament are listed here.

Parliamentary conferences

The New Zealand Parliament hosts and contributes to various inter-parliamentary conferences.

In August 2006, New Zealand hosted the 28th CPA Australia and Pacific Regional Conference
In January 2008, New Zealand hosted the 16th Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum meeting
In October 2009, New Zealand hosted the 18th CPA Australian and Pacific Regional Seminar.