Parliamentary Networks and Country Groups

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is the largest international organisation of national parliaments and a focal point for worldwide parliamentary dialogue.

At the commencement of a new parliament, Australian federal parliamentarians are invited to join the Australian National Group (ANG) of the IPU.

As part of membership to the IPU, parliamentarians are also invited to join regional networks and country groups.

Parliamentary networks and country groups foster relationships with foreign parliaments around the world through engagement with their parliamentarians as well as members of the diplomatic community. This work is integral to our overall international engagement.

The Australian Parliament maintains 11 regional networks. These groupings are devised from the United Nations composition of macro-geographical (continental) regions. Networks cover all countries within their region – not solely countries which achieve an individual country group.

Where a country group has 20 or more members, it forms in its own right and a Chair and Deputy Chair are appointed, and the group is listed below. 

PARLIAMENTARY NETWORKS AND INDIVIDUAL COUNTRY GROUPS WILL BE OUTLINED BELOW ONCE ESTABLISHED AFTER THE OPENING OF THE 48TH PARLIAMENT.

Albania
Chair: Mr Steve Georganas MP 
Vice Chair:

Argentina
Chair: Ms Susan Templeman MP
Vice Chair: Senator Susan McDonald 

Armenia 
Chair: Mr Jerome Laxale MP
Vice Chair: 

Austria 
Chair: Mr Steve Georganas MP
Vice Chair: 

Azerbaijan
Chair: Dr Mike Freelander MP 
Vice Chair: Mr Rick Wilson MP

Bangladesh
Chair: Hon Tim Watts MP
Vice Chair: Senator Dean Smith

Bhutan
Chair: Mr David Smith MP
Vice Chair: Senator Dean Smith 

Canada

Chair: Mr Luke Gosling OAM MP
Vice Chair: Mr Julian Leeser MP

Chile 
Chair: Ms Joanne Ryan MP 
Vice Chair: Senator Andrew McLachlan CSC 

China
Chair: Dr Carina Garland MP 
Vice Chair: Mr Julian Leeser MP 

Colombia 
Chair: Dr Carina Garland MP  
Vice Chair:

Croatia 
Chair: Mr David Smith MP 
Vice Chair: Senator Maria Kovacic 
 
Cuba 
Chair: Ms Sharon Claydon MP
Vice Chair:

Cyprus 
Chair: Mr Steve Georganas MP 
Vice Chair: 
 
Denmark
Chair: Ms Alison Byrnes MP
Vice Chair: Ms Angie Bell MP

Egypt
Chair: Mr David Smith MP 
Vice Chair: 

Estonia
Chair: Senator Deborah O'Neill
Vice Chair:

European Parliament
Chair: Senator Raffaele Ciccone
Vice Chair: Ms Zoe McKenzie MP

France
Chair: Mr Jerome Laxale MP
Vice Chair: Ms Zoe McKenzie MP

Georgia 
Chair:Mr Steve Georganas MP 
Vice Chair: Hon Michael McCormack MP 

Germany 
Chair: Ms Tania Lawrence MP
Vice Chair: Ms Zoe McKenzie MP

Greece
Chair: Mr Steve Georganas MP
Vice Chair:

Holy See
Chair: Senator Raffaele Ciccone
Vice Chair: Senator Matt Canavan

India
Chair: Hon Dr Andrew Charlton MP
Vice Chair: Mr Julian Leeser MP

Indonesia
Chair: Hon Tim Watts MP
Vice Chair: Senator the Hon Richard Colbeck

Ireland
Chair: Senator Deborah O'Neill
Vice Chair: Senator Wendy Askew 

Israel
Chair: Senator Deborah O'Neill
Vice Chair: Senator Leah Blyth 

Italy
Chair: Senator Raffaele Ciccone
Vice Chair: Mr Aaron Violi MP

Japan
Chair: Mr David Smith MP
Vice Chair: Senator Slade Brockman 

Jordan
Chair: Ms Claire Clutterham MP 
Vice Chair: Senator Andrew McLachlan CSC 

Kenya 
Chair: Ms Claire Clutterham MP 
Vice Chair: 

Korea, Republic of
Chair: Mr Jerome Laxale MP
Vice Chair: Mr Julian Leeser MP 

Latvia
Chair: Senator Deborah O'Neill
Vice Chair:

Lebanon
Chair: Hon Dr Andrew Charlton MP 
Vice Chair:

Lithuania
Chair: Senator Deborah O'Neill
Vice Chair:

Malaysia 
Chair: Mr Sam Lim MP
Vice Chair: Ms Melissa Price MP 

Mexico
Chair: Ms Susan Templeman MP 
Vice Chair:

Mongolia
Chair: Hon Tim Watts MP
Vice Chair:

Morocco 
Chair: Mr Steve Georganas MP 
Vice Chair: Mr Rick Wilson MP 

Mozambique

Chair: Ms Claire Clutterham MP 
Vice Chair:

Myanmar
Chair:
Vice Chair: Senator Dean Smith 

Nepal 
Chair: Mr Zhi Soon MP 
Vice Chair:

Netherlands 
Chair: Ms Sharon Claydon MP
Vice Chair:

New Zealand 
Chair: Ms Sharon Claydon MP
Vice Chair: Senator Jessica Collins 

Norway
Chair: Ms Cassandra Fernando MP
Vice Chair: Mr Rick Wilson MP 

Oman
Chair: Ms Claire Clutterham MP 
Vice Chair: Senator Andrew McLachlan CSC 

Pacific Island Nations
Chair: Ms Joanne Ryan MP
Vice Chair: Senator Jessica Collins

Palestine
Chair: Ms Susan Templeman MP 
Vice Chair: Dr Sophie Scamps MP 

Paraguay
Chair: Ms Rebekha Sharkie MP 
Vice Chair:

Peru
Chair: Ms Louise Miller-Frost MP 
Vice Chair: Ms Melissa Price MP 

Philippines
Chair: Mr Luke Gosling OAM MP
Vice Chair:

Poland 
Chair: Ms Sharon Claydon MP
Vice Chair:

Qatar
Chair: Ms Cassandra Fernando MP
Vice Chair: Mr Rick Wilson MP 

Republic of North Macedonia
Chair: Ms Cassandra Fernando MP
Vice Chair:

Romania
Chair: Mr Steve Georganas MP 
Vice Chair:

Serbia
Chair: Ms Tania Lawrence MP
Vice Chair: Senator Alex Antic 

Singapore
Chair: Hon Julian Hill MP
Vice Chair: Hon Michelle Landry MP

Slovenia
Chair: Dr Carina Garland MP
Vice Chair:

South Africa 
Chair: Ms Claire Clutterham MP 
Vice Chair: 

Sri Lanka
Chair: Ms Cassandra Fernando MP
Vice Chair: Senator Wendy Askew 

Sweden
Chair: Ms Cassandra Fernando MP
Vice Chair: Senator Wendy Askew 

Switzerland
Chair: Senator Raffaele Ciccone
Vice Chair: Senator Wendy Askew 

Thailand
Chair: Mr Luke Gosling OAM MP
Vice Chair:

Timor-Leste 
Chair: Ms Sharon Claydon MP
Vice Chair: Senator Wendy Askew

Türkiye 
Chair: Mr Rob Mitchell MP
Vice Chair:

Ukraine
Chair: Senator Deborah O'Neill
Vice Chair: Senator James Paterson 

United Arab Emirates
Chair: Senator Raffaele Ciccone
Vice Chair: Senator Andrew McLachlan CSC

United Kingdom
Chair: Mr David Smith MP
Vice Chair: Senator Dean Smith

United States of America
Chair: Dr Gordon Reid MP
Vice Chair: Ms Melissa McIntosh MP 

Uruguay 
Chair: Mr Steve Georganas MP
Vice Chair: Senator Andrew McLachlan CSC

Vietnam 
Chair: Ms Sharon Claydon MP
Vice Chair: Senator Hon Richard Colbeck