Supporting democratic development

Australian Parliament supports the ongoing development of parliamentary democracy through parliamentary strengthening programs which may include study visits, seminars, workshops and broader projects. These are coordinated by the International and Parliamentary Relations Office (IPRO) for parliamentarians and parliamentary staff. Programs are delivered in partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), international parliamentary associations such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), and other international bodies such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Pacific Parliamentary Partnerships Fund

Pacific parliaments are supported by a fund administered on behalf of the Australian Region of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA). The fund provides equipment to support parliamentary operations as well as staff secondments.

The program builds on established twinning arrangements between Australian and Pacific parliaments which are members of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA). The following Australian parliaments currently participate in the program through their links with Pacific parliaments:

• Australian Capital Territory – Kiribati
• New South Wales – Solomon Islands and Bougainville House of Representatives
• Northern Territory – Niue
• Queensland – Papua New Guinea; Vanuatu
• South Australia – Tonga
• Tasmania – Samoa
• Victoria – Fiji; Nauru; Tuvalu
• Western Australia – Cook Islands

The Pacific Parliamentary Partnerships Fund is coordinated by the International Parliamentary Relations Office (IPRO).

Inter-Parliamentary Study Program

The Inter-Parliamentary Study Program (IPSP) brings together parliamentary staff from around the world to:

• Learn about the procedures and practices of the Australian Parliament
• Share knowledge, ideas and experiences of parliamentary processes and administration
• Reflect on their own parliamentary practices and how they can be developed
• Establish networks for ongoing information sharing among parliamentary staff

The program runs for one week, and involves a series of presentations by senior Australian parliamentary officers outlining the history, structure, procedures and operations of the Australian Parliament, including its two chambers – the House of Representatives and the Senate – along with the departments which support the parliament: Department of the House of Representatives, Department of the Senate, Department of Parliamentary Services, Parliamentary Budget Office. 

Below: Inter-Parliamentary Study Program participants at Parliament House.