Press Release – New Zealand Parliament

New Zealand Parliament Hosts Study Programme For Speaker Of The Parliament Of The Cook Islands This week the New Zealand Parliament was pleased to be able to host a study programme for Hon Niki Rattle, the Speaker of the Parliament of the Cook …New Zealand Parliament Hosts Study Programme For Speaker Of The Parliament Of The Cook Islands

This week the New Zealand Parliament was pleased to be able to host a study programme for Hon Niki Rattle, the Speaker of the Parliament of the Cook Islands, Speaker Dr The Rt Hon Lockwood Smith said today.

Hon Rattle has been Speaker since June 2012 and requested a visit to New Zealand to become more familiar with our parliamentary practices and procedures, given the similarities between our two parliaments.

While in New Zealand, Hon Rattle has had the opportunity to meet with the Speaker, Presiding Officers, members of Parliament and senior parliamentary officials to question them on their role. She has also had the opportunity to view the House in session, attend Select Committee proceedings and visit a member of Parliament’s electorate office.

“Madam Speaker has had an extremely busy programme and her feedback indicates that from her discussions here, she has learnt a lot to take back to the Cook Islands.

“The New Zealand Parliament is committed to the capacity building of Pacific parliaments, and so we have been very pleased to be able to assist the Cook Islands Speaker as she becomes more familiar with her new role. Our two countries have a special relationship and Madam Speaker’s visit has cemented this even further. We look forward to working more closely with our Cook Island neighbours in the future”, said Mr Speaker.

Next week Hon Niki Rattle will partake in a further study programme at the Parliament of Western Australia, which is twinned with the Cook Islands Parliament under the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s Twinning Programme. The purpose of the Twinning Programme is to foster parliamentary cooperation between branches of the Australian and Pacific Regions, through the exchange of information, assistance with training, and exchanges of visits between parliaments. The New Zealand Parliament has a role in overseeing these twinning arrangements.

ENDS

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