2nd Annual CDI & NSW Parliament Effective Parliamentary Committee Inquiries Course
The 2nd annual CDI & NSW Parliament Effective Parliamentary Committee Inquiries Course was held at Parliament House in Sydney from 16 to 20 February 2009. The course, developed by CDI in partnership with the Parliament of New South Wales, was supported by the World Bank Institute and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. It was aimed specifically at parliamentary committee staff, focusing on the practical aspects of parliamentary committee work. The course was convened by CDI Deputy Director Quinton Clements, and Steven Reynolds, the Clerk Assistant of Committees and the Usher of the Black Rod in the Legislative Council of the New South Wales Parliament.
20 parliamentary officials involved in supporting committees from 14 parliaments in 13 countries around the region participated – Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Tonga and Samoa. Among the participants were the Clerks of the Parliaments of Tonga, Tuvalu and Samoa.
The course program followed the process of conducting a committee inquiry from the beginning with the issuing of terms of reference for an inquiry through to the drafting of the final report and its tabling in Parliament. Topics covered included planning and budgeting for an inquiry, collecting evidence, processing written submissions, conducting public hearings and analysing the evidence received. Several guest presenters addressed specific issues and case studies including Ms Robyn Parker MLC, Hon. Grant McBride MP and Hon. Amanda Fazio MLC, all Members of the New South Wales Parliament. Ms Parker spoke about the role of committees from a Member’s perspective, Mr McBride discussed MPs’ expectations of a secretariat, and Ms Fazio spoke about the relationship between the committee chair and the secretariat.
The program was designed to be very interactive and practically oriented. Participants not only learnt from the presenters but were encouraged to learn about committee work in each other’s respective parliaments. Each participant gave a presentation on their parliament and its committee system. The group undertook a number of exercises, both in small groups and as individuals, including a mock public hearing in which each participant played a specific role.
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