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APRIL 2021
IPR PĀNUI
The latest from New Zealand Parliament’s
Inter-Parliamentary Relations team
FROM THE TEAM
Welcome! Haere Mai!
IN THIS EDITION...
Inter-Parliamentary Organisations
The New Zealand Parliament was formally opened in
in the 53rd Parliament ........................ 2 November 2020, and in the last few months legislators
have been busy in the Chamber and committees.
Parliamentary Friendship Groups in
the 53rd Parliament ............................ 4 Inter-Parliamentary activities have got off to
an amazing start - we launched a new Inter-
Tai a Kiwa update ................................ 5 Parliamentary Strategy, held an exhibition
celebrating our Tai a Kiwa Pacific connections, and
Wāhine o te Paremata Women of released a short film Wāhine o te Pāremata Women
Parliament film release ...................... 6 of Parliament.
Cook Islands Prime Minister meets
In this edition of the pānui we introduce you to
NZ MPs ................................................. 6
the new Chairpersons of our Inter-Parliamentary
Our IPR portfolios ............................... 7 Organisations and Parliamentary Friendship Groups!
Thank you for your support. Ngā mihi nui!
The Inter-Parliamentary Relations team
CONTACT
Get in touch with IPR at
IPR@parliament.govt.nz
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CWP New Zealand Co-Chairs, Nicola Grigg MP and Ingrid Leary MP at
the International Women’s Day Celebration Breakfast.
INTER-PARLIAMENTARY ORGANISATIONS
IN THE 53RD PARLIAMENT
The New Zealand Parliament participates in the activities of three key inter-parliamentary
organisations: the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association,
and the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum. These are global or regional forums that bring
together parliamentarians to discuss global issues, propose solutions to international devel-
opments, debate world events, and promote democratic ideals and practices.
Membership of these organisations provides opportunities for New Zealand members to
engage with the international parliamentary community, contribute to global debates and
solutions to international issues, to build networks, and to develop professionally. Participa-
tion also contributes to getting matters of importance to New Zealand and the Pacific Region
on the global agenda.
Full membership lists are available in the links to each group and we will update with news
and events throughout the Parliament.
INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION NEW ZEALAND
Louisa Wall MP
Chairperson
Louisa Wall MP (Labour Party) is committed to promoting human rights and equality,
and developing initiatives that benefit our society and protect the rights of our most
vulnerable. Louisa is a passionate member and advocate for the LGBTIQ+ Rainbow
community. One of Louisa’s proudest moments was helping achieve marriage
equality in New Zealand with the Marriage Amendment Act in 2013, and she
continues to work with and for our community to ensure LGBTQI rights are upheld
in New Zealand and globally. Louisa also served for 8-years as Co-Chair of our cross parliamentary women’s
group advocating for legislative reform to end all forms of female genital mutilation in NZ which was achieved in
August 2020.
Louisa’s goals for her time as IPU New Zealand Group Chair include advancing the role of parliamentarians in
championing human rights defenders, protecting and realising human rights for LGBTIQ+ citizens, indigenous
peoples and women with relevant stakeholders. Louisa believes that all of Parliament has a responsibility to
hold governments to account. Louisa is also the Deputy Chair for Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation
and Disarmament (PNND) New Zealand and a member of Parliamentarians for Global Action.
COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENTARY ASSOCIATION NEW ZEALAND
Hon Gerry Brownlee MP
Chairperson
Hon Gerry Brownlee has served as a Senior Cabinet Minister in both the John Key
and Bill English led Governments, including as the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery
Minister soon after a devastating 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck Christchurch on
September 4 2010.
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His role expanded following 22 February 2011 when a 6.3 magnitude quake hit the
city, killing 185 people and resulting in widespread residential and commercial prop-
erty destruction. The earthquakes, and subsequent rebuild of New Zealand’s second
largest city, are the country’s costliest event.
Hon Gerry Brownlee has represented New Zealand as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and as Minister of Defence
and had developed strong relationships with the Pacific. He is the Deputy Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs,
Defence and Trade Select Committee and serves on the Intelligence and Security Committee.
Anahila Kanongata’a-Suisuiki MP
CPW Pacific Steering Committee representative
Anahila Kanongata’a-Suisuiki is the Labour List MP based in Papakura who was first
elected to Parliament in 2017.
Tongan born and raised in New Zealand, Anahila has been able to act as a catalyst for
action and change for women, social services and community groups. She is involved
with Pacifica Inc, Tongan Language Year Committee, Radio Tonga, and is the VP of The
New Zealand Tonga RFA. Anahila is also Chair on the Commonwealth Pacific Women Parliamentarians (CWP)
where women delegates and MP’s unite to discuss causes affecting women in the Pacific regions and support
representation of women in Parliament. Anahila will present at the CWP event in Uganda in September 2019.
Wife and mother of five children and six grandchildren, Anahila has been a South Auckland resident since 2006.
In her free time Anahila enjoys spending time with her family and cooking.
Anahila is a member of the Environment Select Committee and the Social Services and Community Select
Committee.
COMMONWEALTH WOMEN PARLIAMENTARIANS NEW ZEALAND
Nicola Grigg MP
Co-chairperson
Nicola Grigg is a first-term member of Parliament from the National Party.
Nicola is not new to Parliament, however, with her career highlight to date being the
years she spent working as a press secretary for both Hon Simon Bridges, and Sir Bill
English during his tenure as Minister of Finance and Prime Minister.
Nicola spent a number of years working as a reporter and newsreader for newsrooms
around the country covering significant events including the Christchurch earthquakes, the Global Financial Cri-
sis, and several elections. Member of Governance and Administration Select Committee. Party Spokesperson for
Women, and Associate Spokesperson for Trade, Arts, Culture and Heritage.
Ingrid Leary MP
Co-chairperson
Ingrid is a first-term member of Parliament from the Labour Party for the Taieri
electorate which has drawn together urban Dunedin South with parts of rural South
Otago. She has a strong, passionate voice representing the workers, beneficiaries,
business people, superannuitants and farmers. Ingrid is a mother-of-three with
proven experience in law, journalism, and public service. She has owned her own
small business and understands the difference that stable leadership, health and
safety, and economic security makes to the lives of people and their children.
Member of the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee and Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select
Committee. Ingrid is also the New Zealand Parliament’s Ambassador for Women Political Leaders.
ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM NEW ZEALAND
Dr James McDowall MP
Chairperson
James is a first-term member of Parliament for the ACT party. James has a PhD, a
young family, and speaks fluent Chinese.
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He has led the development of ACT’s Firearm Policy in the wake of the Government’s
2019 Arms Amendment Act. James owns several small businesses, including an
immigration law firm. He has also worked for a large NGO in the mental health sector.
James is a member of the Transport and Infrastructure Select Committee and Party Spokesperson for Economic
Development, Research, Science and Innovation, Immigration, Defence and Tourism.
PARLIAMENTARY
FRIENDSHIP GROUPS
Parliamentary Friendship Groups help deepen New Zealand’s relations with other countries and
assist in promoting parliamentary democracy. The groups provide members with opportunities
for direct engagement with legislators from other countries and enhance understanding of re-
gional and global issues, including through engagement with diplomatic and expatriate commu-
nities. There are eight groups in the 53rd Parliament.
Full membership lists are available in the links to each group and we will update with news and
events throughout the Parliament.
NEW ZEALAND - AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND - EUROPE
Hon Louise Upston MP and Louisa Wall MP Marja Lubeck MP and Tim van de Molen MP
NEW ZEALAND - LATIN NEW ZEALAND -
AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
Ricardo Menédez March MP and Angela Roberts MP Andrew Bayly MP and Ibrahim Omer MP
NEW ZEALAND - NEW ZEALAND -
NORTH AMERICA NORTH AND CENTRAL ASIA
Adrian Rurawhe MP and Nicola Grigg MP Melissa Lee MP and Tāmati Coffey MP
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NEW ZEALAND - SOUTH
NEW ZEALAND - PACIFIC AND SOUTH EAST ASIA
Anahila Kanongata’a Suisuiki MP and Hon Gerry Brownlee MP Melissa Lee MP and Greg O’Connor MP
TAI A KIWA
New Zealand Parliament’s longstanding friendship and diplomacy with its Pacific parliamentary
neighbours s celebrated in Parliament’s first exhibition of 2021.
Tai a Kiwa: Stronger Pacific Parliaments is a New Zealand Parliament initiative which provides
programmes, support and technical assistance to parliaments in the Pacific. Tai a Kiwa works
with Pacific parliaments to build capability, capacity and efficiency. You can learn more about
Tai a Kiwa here.
This exhibition showcased gifts from Pacific nations from the New Zealand Parliamentary
Collection, from 1925 to today. It also included photos captured by Radio New Zealand The
House reporter Daniela Maoate-Cox as she travelled with New Zealand Parliament’s most recent
delegations to the Pacific; a Speaker-led delegation to the Kingdom of Tonga and the Republic of
Fiji in 2019, and with the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians to Niue in 2020.
Daniela said she was very impressed by how “full on” both these trips were, in that MPs had a
packed itinerary learning about the countries, their people, and New Zealand Parliament’s role
there. Accompanying the MPs helped her understand how relationships were vital in ensuring
New Zealand and these Pacific countries were able to help one another.
Photos by Radio New Zealand The House reporter Daniela Maoate-Cox.
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Wāhine o te Paremata
Women of Parliament
The New Zealand Parliament released a short
film on International Women’s Day: Wāhine o te
Paremata Women of Parliament: A documentary
short film. Please watch, share, and enjoy this short
film to help spread the important message about
the role women have played, and continue to play,
in New Zealand’s politics and society.
The film explores the experiences, battles, and
triumphs that brought women and women
parliamentarians in Aotearoa to where they are
New Zealand parliamentarians past and present join to today. Women interviewed exclusively for the film
celebrate International Women’s Day include the Governor-General of New Zealand, Rt
Hon Dame Patsy Reddy; former Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Margaret Wilson; Leader of the
Opposition, Hon Judith Collins; and many more.
Women current and former members of Parliament from across the political spectrum came
together mid-March to celebrate International Women’s Day and watch the short film.
COOK ISLANDS PRIME MINISTER MEETS NEW ZEALAND MPS
First inter-parliamentary visit since February 2020
Hon. Mark Brown, Prime Minister of the
Cook Islands, visited Parliament on 29 and 30
March and met with the Pacific Parliamentary
Friendship Group and the Māori Affairs Select
Committee.
As the first official visit to New Zealand since
February 2020, the novelty of talking face to
face with an international partner was not
lost on the parliamentarians present. A wide
range of topics, including a travel bubble,
vaccine roll-out, economic recovery, the Crimes The New Zealand-Pacific Parliamentary Friendship Group
meet with Cook Islands Prime Minister Hon. Mark Brown
Bill and human rights, were traversed. It was
clear that whilst both countries had faced
similar challenges over the past year, the social, economic, and structural impact differs – and
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New Zealand parliamentarians have an important role in influencing decisions to manage any
negative effects from this diversion.
That said, welcoming an international visitor gave hope for a return to a more traditional form
of inter-parliamentary relations - and the beautiful photos brought by the Prime Minister of his
home country certainly made the Cook Islands a must visit for many MPs and staff!
MEET THE IPR TEAM
REGIONS ORGANISATIONS SUBJECTS
• Africa • Inter-Parliamentary • Security, peace, and
• Middle East Union disarmament
• United Kingdom • Human rights
Wendy Hart • Interaction between
Senior IPR Adviser IPU and UN
Portfolios
REGIONS ORGANISATIONS SUBJECTS
• Latin America and • American Council • Health, drug
Caribbean of Young Political reform, mental
• North America Leaders (ACYPL) health
• Europe (except the • European • Trade
Winton Holmes United Kingdom) Parliament • Food and water
Senior IPR Adviser Exchange security
Portfolios • Canadian Political • Defence and
Exchange emergency
management
REGIONS ORGANISATIONS SUBJECTS
• Asia • Asia Pacific • Indigenous rights
Parliamentary • Gender rights
Forum • Sustainable
Carmen Maran • Commonwealth Development
IPR Adviser Women
Portfolios Parliamentarians
REGIONS ORGANISATIONS SUBJECTS
• Pacific (Tai a Kiwa) • Commonwealth • Environment and
• Australia Parliamentary climate
Association • Governance and
Regional Secretariat democracy
Megan Robins • Australian
IPR Adviser Political Exchange;
Portfolios Committee
Exchange
Stephanie Maiava
Parliamentary Engagement coordinator
FIND OUT
MORE HERE:
Inter-Parliamentary Relations Members of Parliament
Inter-Parliamentary Relations videos Select Committees
House Sitting Calendar Parliament on Demand
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