Office of the Speaker

Press release

Australian Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee

?? May 2014

A delegation from the Australian Senate References Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade is visiting Parliament from Saturday 3 May – Friday 9 May 2014. The visit is part of an annual exchange of select committees between the New Zealand and Australian Parliaments.

The delegation is led by Senator the Hon Ursula Stephens, and is focussed on defence partnerships, tourism and overseas development. The committee will explore Australia’s military and civilian ties with New Zealand and other Pacific neighbours and to discuss the US sponsored Pacific Partnerships programme.

The committee will hold discussions around parliamentary oversight of overseas aid funding in New Zealand and to look at the development and outcomes of the New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2015 as well as government support for tourism operators in New Zealand.

The delegation will also meet with the Rt Hon David Carter, Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Hon Jonathan Coleman, Minister of Defence, Ms Jacqui Dean MP, Parliamentary Private Secretary for Tourism. They will meet with a group of New Zealand MPs to discuss overseas development assistance and meet with the Commerce and Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committees, as well as Tourism New Zealand, MBIE and the Canterbury Employers Chamber of Commerce.

Speaker Rt Hon David Carter is pleased to host this visit:

“Visits of this kind serve to strengthen ties between parliaments and also assist in enhancing relationships between countries. The annual exchange of committees between New Zealand and Australia reflects the special relationship between our two countries and provides an opportunity to share information to the mutual benefit of both countries and our Parliament”

ENDS

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