International Program News


Visit to the Australia Parliament by the European Parliament’s Delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand (DANZ)

In February, the European Parliament’s Delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand (DANZ) visited Australia. The delegation was led by Ms Ulrike Müller, Chair of the Delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand, and accompanied by the Ambassador of the European Union, His Excellency Dr Michael Pulch.

Visit to the Australian Parliament by the President of the House of Representatives in Cyprus

In February, the President of the House of Representatives in Cyprus, His Excellency Mr Dimitris Syllouris and his delegation visited Australia as guests of the Australian Parliament. The delegation was accompanied by the High Commissioner of Cyprus, Her Excellency Mrs Martha Mavrommati.

Staff from the Indian Lok Sabha visit Parliament House

From Monday 14 October to Friday 18 October 2019, parliamentary officials from the Lok Sabha (Indian Lower House of Parliament) visited the Australian Parliament for a week-long study visit program.

Australian Parliament welcomes delegation from Timor-Leste

In February, the Australian Parliament welcomed a delegation comprising six parliamentarians from Timor-Leste.

Pacific Speakers meet in Australia for professional development

The Inter-Parliamentary Study Program for Speakers of Pacific Parliaments took place from 22 to 27 November 2018 at Parliament House.

Australia’s Higher Education Loan Programme on the agenda for Chilean delegation

At the invitation of the Presiding Officers, the Australian Parliament welcomed a delegation from the lower house of the National Congress of Chile in October.

Malaysian parliamentary delegation focuses on Australia’s parliamentary processes and institutions

This September, the Australian Parliament welcomed a delegation from the lower house of the Malaysian Parliament, the Dewan Rakyat.

Parliamentary education a highlight of Indian parliamentary staff visit

In the first week of October, Australia’s Parliament welcomed ten senior officials from the Lok Sabha (Indian Lower House of Parliament), who participated in a week-long study visit program.

ASEAN delegation experiences regional challenges

The Australian Parliament has once again welcomed representatives from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations – better known as ASEAN – as part of a program to develop links between member states in our region.

Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons visits parliament

The Parliament was pleased to receive a visit in early November by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, the Right Honourable Lindsay Hoyle MP.

Environment and defence on the agenda for Swedish parliamentary delegation

Environment and defence were two key issues for the official September visit to Australia by the Speaker of the Riksdagen (Parliament of Sweden), Mr Urban Ahlin.

Pacific Deputy Speakers meet in Australia for professional development

The inaugural Inter-Parliamentary Study Program for Deputy Speakers of Pacific Parliaments (IPSP-DS) took place from 23-28 November 2017 at Parliament House.

Uruguay delegation visits Parliament

The Parliament of Australia welcomed a delegation from the Uruguay House of Representatives, led by the Speaker, Mr José Carlos Mahia.

Parliament welcomes guests from Singapore

Last week, the parliament hosted the Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Singapore, Madam Halimah Yacob, and a delegation from her country. The delegation took advantage of the new direct flights between Canberra and Singapore, visiting Canberra during their three day visit.

Argentinian Vice President visits parliament

The Parliament of Australia has this week played host to Argentinian Vice President Ms Gabriela Michetti, who visited Australia this week as part of a delegation from her country.

Speaking Across the Tasman: New Zealand Speaker visits Australia

President of the Senate Senator Stephen Parry and Speaker of the House of Representatives the Hon Tony Smith MP were recently joined in Parliament by the Speaker of New Zealand, the Right Honourable David Carter MP.

ASEAN goes west

The Australian Parliament has welcomed representatives from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations – better known as ASEAN – as part of a program to develop links between member states in our region.

Presiding Officers meet with President of the Bundestag

President of the German Bundestag, His Excellency Professor Dr Norbert Lammert, met with Australian presiding officers in Melbourne.

International Speakers meet in Hobart

Presiding Officers from the Parliaments of Mexico, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Turkey and Australia (MIKTA) have gathered in Hobart for a meeting on Open Parliaments.

Cambodian National Assembly President leads visit to Australian Parliament

Parliamentarians from the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia visited Australia from 15 to 16 March as part of an official visit.

New Zealand Committee signs up for new ideas

Broadcast captioning and dealing with the health consequences of problem gambling were on the agenda during a recent visit by delegates from the New Zealand Parliament.

Continental Cooperation: European Parliamentarians make biennial visit

Foreign affairs, immigration, defence and issues of the environment were the topics of interest when a delegation from the European Parliament met with Australian Parliamentarians on their biennial visit.

ASEAN delegates talk trade and youth engagement

As part of its 2015 Guest of Parliament program, the Parliament of Australia hosted a delegation to develop relations with representatives of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Latin American Parliamentarians exchange ideas on education

Parliamentarians from the federal parliaments of Chile, Mexico, Uruguay and Ecuador visited Brisbane and Canberra from 3-9 September 2015 as guests of the Parliament of Australia in order to discuss policy priorities.

Members of the Shura Council of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia visit Australian Parliament

Members of the Shura Council of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have visited Australia as part of an official visit program.

ASEAN’s emerging leaders gain a positive insight into modern Australia

Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of ASEAN-Australia relations, ASEAN parliamentarians have been given the opportunity to meet and share ideas with members of all three tiers of Australian Government.

Australia-Germany relationship soars to new heights

The President of the German Bundestag, Professor Norbert Lammert, has led a successful nine-day German delegation to Australia

Swiss President of the Council of States visits Brisbane and Sydney

The President of the Council of States in the Swiss Parliament, Mr Hannes Germann, has visited Australia to boost parliamentary ties.

Australia-Turkey ties strengthened

A delegation of Turkish parliamentarians led by Speaker Cemil Çiçek has spent a week in Australia discussing issues of mutual importance such as the plans to commemorate the centenary of the ANZAC landings at Gallipoli.

Peru delegation explores Latin links down under

A parliamentary delegation from Peru has participated in the Latin America Down Under Conference as part of an official visit to Australia.

A friend indeed, says Malaysian delegation

A delegation of Malaysian MPs and Senators has made an official visit to Australia, reinforcing the strong partnership between the two national parliaments.

Indonesian visit boosts parliamentary links

Staff of the Indonesian House of Representatives have visited the Australian Parliament to discuss ways in which community engagement with parliament can be encouraged.

Art gift celebrates ASEAN partnership

The Australian Parliament has donated an Indigenous artwork to the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the partnership between Australia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Australia-New Zealand parliamentary partnership reinforced

New Zealand Speaker David Carter has made an official visit to Australia, reinforcing the strong cross-Tasman partnership between the two national parliaments.

Action needed on child soldiers and human trafficking

Members of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, representing 164 parliaments around the world, have called for parliaments, especially in countries experiencing armed conflict, to amend legislation to prevent and punish those who recruit children to become child soldiers. Passed at the IPU’s 130th assembly held in Geneva, Switzerland, the resolution focused on the protection of children, particularly migrant children, during conflict.

Korean Speaker leads delegation visit

Prime Minister Tony Abbott and House of Representatives Speaker Bronwyn Bishop have met with the Speaker of the Korean National Assembly Kang Chang Hee during the visit of a Korean parliamentary delegation to Australia.

Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum held in Mexico

The 22nd Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) has been held in Mexico from 12 to 16 January.

Australian Parliament takes note of Pacific support projects

The first ever annual statement on the Australian Parliament’s major parliamentary capacity building programs in the Pacific has been tabled in both houses of parliament.

Aung San Suu Kyi makes first visit to Australian Parliament

Chairperson of the National League for Democracy, Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi, has visited the Australian Parliament in Canberra, touring the Senate and House of Representatives Chambers with Senate President John Hogg and House of Representatives Speaker Bronwyn Bishop.

Regional workshop discusses modern Pacific parliaments

Pacific Parliamentary Partnerships (PPP), an initiative of the Parliament of Australia, brought together representatives from 13 parliaments from the Pacific region at a workshop in Nuku’alofa, Tonga on 7 and 8 November 2013 to discuss how parliaments in the Pacific can address their evolving role in representing their communities.

Parliaments Demand Zero Tolerance on Chemical Weapons

The Inter-Parliamentary Union, comprising national parliaments from across the world, has called on its 163 members  to condemn the use of chemical weapons.

Lao delegation visits Parliament House

A delegation from Laos visited Parliament House on the 10 September to learn about the roles of the Australian parliament and Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) in auditing and financial reporting and the respective responsibilities and relationship between the two.

Australia’s Governor-General applauds Pacific partnerships

The Pacific Parliamentary Partnerships program is “one of the best examples anywhere in the world of parliaments cooperating and working together,” Australia’s Governor-General Quentin Bryce has told Australian and Pacific Presiding Officers and Clerks at a reception she hosted in their honour in Canberra.

Australian and Pacific parliaments renew partnerships

Representatives of 19 Australian and Pacific parliaments have met in Canberra and renewed their commitment to a parliamentary twinning program that has helped to strengthen parliamentary democracy in the Pacific region.

Pacific parliamentarians investigate climate change responses

Parliamentarians from Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Samoa and Tonga are investigating responses to climate change as part of a study visit to Australia. Sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme, the study visit is focusing on ways in which Pacific parliamentarians can engage with climate change issues as part of their legislative, representative and oversight roles.

ASEAN delegates build closer ties

South-East Asian parliamentarians have used a recent visit to Australia to learn more about its political processes and education system.

Tanzanian MPs study parliamentary services

A parliamentary delegation from Tanzania visited Parliament House on 18 and 19 April 2013 to discuss the services provided to Australian parliamentarians in the course of carrying out their parliamentary duties.

European Parliament delegation visits Australia

A delegation of Members of the European Parliament recently visited Australia to learn of Australian practice and build relationships with their Australian parliamentary counterparts.

Tongan Speaker’s study visit a sound investment

While in Australia recently new Tongan Speaker, Lord Fakafanua, the youngest presiding officer in the world, investigated many aspects of parliamentary technology including the Australian Parliament’s sound and vision systems.