New Zealand MPs participate in Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly

Three New Zealand members of Parliament will participate in the 129th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly, to be held in Geneva, Switzerland from 4 - 10 October, Speaker Rt Hon David Carter announced today.

The IPU is the world organisation of parliaments of sovereign states and provides a focal point for dialogue among democratic parliaments. Over 1,300 delegates and observers from more than 120 member parliaments and international organisations will be attending the Assembly. The New Zealand delegation will be led by Hon Tau Henare and includes Dr Russel Norman MP and Darien Fenton MP.

The Assembly agenda includes panel discussions and workshops on issues relating to parliaments’ role in nuclear disarmament; risk-resilient development; and the role of parliaments in protecting the rights of children, in particular unaccompanied migrant children, and in preventing their exploitation in situations of war and conflict

“The assembly’s themes are particularly relevant to the New Zealand Parliament” says Rt Hon David Carter, Speaker of the House of Representatives. “Our location in the Pacific means that we have a strong interest in achieving meaningful development outcomes that make tangible differences to people’s lives. New Zealand also has a long history of international engagement on disarmament matters, and it is one that we can be proud of. We are always interested in taking part in discussions that consider new approaches to global issues and the Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly provides an excellent forum for New Zealand to make its view heard.”

Prior to the IPU Assembly the delegation will undertake a bilateral visit to the European Parliament, the 19th EU-New Zealand inter-parliamentary meeting. As well as formal meetings at the European Parliament, the delegation will visit the New Zealand Memorial to the Battle of Broodseinde and commemorate the 96th Anniversary of New Zealand’s involvement Battle of Passchendaele. The delegation will also participate in the Menin Gate ceremony in Ypres, where Hon Tau Henare will lay a wreath on behalf of the New Zealand Parliament, the New Zealand Government, and the people of New Zealand.

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