Date Posted: August 30 2018

PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES VISIT NEW ZEALAND PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES

Learning and understanding from other Parliament’s Committee system is the way forward to improving and strengthening Parliaments Committee functions and responsibilities here in PNG

Two first time Committee Chairmen of the National Parliament, Honourable Lekwa Gure, member for Rigo Oepn and Honourable Koni Iguam, member for Markham visited New Zealand’s House of Representatives last month to observe and learn how their Committee system operates and conduct their duties and responsibilities.

The two Chairmen of the Permanent Parliament Committee on Plans and Estimates and Public Accounts and secretaries had the opportunity to explore the financial scrutiny of the New Zealand Parliament in observing some of their committee’s enquiries.

They also had other meeting sessions with key divisions of the Parliament including the Parliamentary Education and Engagement, Parliamentary Counsel Office, Parliamentary Library and the Standing Orders Review Committee.  The highlight of all the activities was the opportunity to observe Question Time in Parliament.

The visit and attachment was a good learning opportunity for the two MPs, as first time Chairmen of Committees.  Both MPs contribute in discussions by asking questions that were of benefit to them as MPs and as chairs of their respective committees.

The visit and attachment is a follow up of the training workshop for the committee chairs and deputies held in PNG National Parliament in February 2018.  With the immediate need to explore the financial scrutiny of Parliament, the Chairs of the Plans and Estimates Committee as well as the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee were invited to shadow the Finance and Expenditure Committee at the NZ Parliament.

The visit and attachment was supported and funded under the Pacific Parliament Effective Initiative Project (PPEIP) program organised by the UNDP Pacific Regional Office and funded by the New Zealand Aid program.