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Annual Report 2004–05 You are currently viewing: Annual
report Output Group 1.4—Interparliamentary RelationsAdvice and support to facilitate the conduct
of the Parliament’s international and regional affairs
DescriptionOutput Group 1.4 provides advice and support for the conduct of the Parliament’s international and regional affairs. In the department’s 2004–05 Portfolio Budget Statements and Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements, Output Group 1.4 appeared as Output 2.3 (Interparliamentary relations) of Output Group 2. The functions and services of the output group are delivered primarily by the Parliamentary Relations Office (PRO). All offices of the department contribute in various ways in support of this output group. In 2004–05, the actual expenses for the provision of services by Output Group 1.4 were $1.98 million, while the budget allocation was $1.92 million. A summary of the financial resources for the output group is set out in Table 1; staff levels, by location, are shown in Appendix 10. PerformanceDuring 2004–05, the PRO continued to provide advice and support to facilitate the conduct of the Parliament’s international and regional affairs. We organised many incoming and outgoing visits by parliamentarians and officials, helped overseas parliamentary staff to strengthen parliamentary institutions in their own countries, and supported the efforts of international parliamentary organisations.
The Parliament’s international relations are coordinated through the PRO, which is funded jointly by the House of Representatives and Senate departments and administered by the Department of the House of Representatives. The focus of activities and programs is on direct bilateral relationships between the Australian Parliament and other parliaments, and participation in the international and regional activities of parliamentary associations. Delegations and visitsThe program of visits to and from Australia by parliamentary delegations helps strengthen relations between parliaments, promotes good governance and contributes to the bilateral relationships between Australia and other countries. As in previous years, the program of visits had a particular focus on the Asia–Pacific region. During 2004–05, the department coordinated programs for 15 visits to other countries and attendance at six conferences, seminars and workshops (see Appendix 7). There were also 11 official visits to Australia by parliamentary delegations from other countries as guests of the Australian Parliament, and 27 unofficial visits by parliamentary delegations from other countries (see Appendices 5 and 6). The department also provided support for the Australian Parliament’s participation in programs and activities of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the Inter-Parliamentary Union. The Asia–Pacific focus was reflected in visits by Australian parliamentary delegations to China, Indonesia, Mongolia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, and visits to Australia by delegations from Cambodia, China, New Zealand and Sri Lanka. An Australian parliamentary delegation also participated in the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum in Vietnam. The May 2005 visit by the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China, His Excellency Mr Wu Bangguo, was particularly significant. Following shortly after a visit to China by an Australian parliamentary delegation led by the Speaker, Mr Wu’s visit reflected the strength of the relationship between Australia and China. Mr Wu was invited by the Presiding Officers and, because of the importance of the visit, was elevated to the status of guest of the Australian Government. The PRO worked closely with the Ceremonial and Hospitality Branch of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to ensure the success of the visit. In a media statement, Mr Wu said his visit to Australia was ‘a complete success’, in that it ‘maintained the momentum of high-level contacts’ and ‘enhanced mutual understanding, deepened mutual feelings, and strengthened political mutual trust’. He said the visit ‘promoted bilateral economic cooperation and trade, advanced long-term strategic cooperation between China and Australia in the field of energy and mineral resources, and expanded exchanges in the cultural field and among local regions’. In addition, the visit ‘further developed the relationship between the Chinese National People’s Congress and the Australian Federal Parliament’. Also significant during the year were several parliamentary visits involving Indonesia, reflecting the growing relations between the Australian and Indonesian parliaments. The Chairman of the People’s Consultative Committee, Dr Hidayat Nur Wahid, and members of the Regional Representatives Council of Indonesia visited Australia. An Australian parliamentary delegation visited Indonesia in July 2004, and another delegation visited in June 2005 to assess the humanitarian relief operations in Banda Aceh in response to the Indian Ocean tsunamis. During 2004–05, our administrative support for all official incoming and outgoing visits met the required performance standards. Debriefing of outgoing delegations formed an integral part of each visit, and helped to ensure that lessons learned from one visit could be used in the planning of others. A draft manual to advise members and senators about their participation in outgoing delegations has been completed and is awaiting advice from the Department of Finance and Administration in relation to possible changes to the administration of members’ entitlements before it can be finalised. Support for other parliamentsThe Australian Parliament continued to support other parliaments by providing training and related assistance for parliamentary staff and parliamentarians. Here, too, the emphasis was on the Asia–Pacific region. During the year, there were five visits by parliamentary officials. The Interparliamentary Study Program was conducted for 13 officials, including officials from ten countries, the European Union and the Inter-Parliamentary Union. The focus of the study program was on promoting accountability and transparency in parliamentary processes. In their evaluations, participants unanimously agreed that the program was a success. To improve linkages between the Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments and the Inter-Parliamentary Union, two officers from the department were each seconded to work for ten weeks at the Inter-Parliamentary Union headquarters in Switzerland. The Clerk of the House continued to serve as President of the Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments during the year, and the secondments were one of several ways the department assisted him in that role. Outcomes from the secondments included the development of a new electronic bulletin for the association and the development of resources for training parliamentary staff. A departmental officer was also seconded for three months to the Parliament of Papua New Guinea. The secondment was to support a parliamentary committee established to consider various reforms. Commonwealth Parliamentary AssociationThe Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Education and Training (Trust) Fund resumed its operations during the year, following a new determination under the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997, referred to in last year’s report, governing the operation of the fund. Training and related support were provided to the parliaments of nine Pacific Islands countries. Improving performanceDuring the year, we reviewed PRO staffing and agreed on a new team structure to provide greater depth in the future coordination of the Parliament’s international relations. We have also created opportunities for other departmental staff to be involved in the work of the office, making available a broader base of personnel to assist with visits during periods of peak activity. OutlookIn 2005–06, the new staffing structure for the PRO will be implemented to provide greater depth in delivery of programs, strengthen strategic planning and policy development, and improve the development of staff. For staff development purposes, and to help us manage peak periods of activity, we will continue to provide opportunities for other staff of the department to assist with the preparation of visits programs. You are currently viewing: Annual
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