CDI's 2009 Political Party Development Course | 18-29 May
The Centre for Democratic Institutions’ Political Party Development (PPD) course was conducted from 18 to 29 May in Canberra. This was the fourth occasion the course has been conducted, being held annually since 2006. The two-week course is based at the Crawford School of Economics and Government at the Australian National University, and is presented by Dr Norm Kelly.
The PPD course is designed to provide senior political party officials from the Southeast Asia – South Pacific region with the skills to strengthen their parties and party systems, with the objectives being improved governance and more stable democracies. The intention of the course is to provide participants with:
- Information on the Australian political system, with insights into how Australian political parties administer and organise themselves;
- An understanding of party theory and the factors that influence the development of party systems;
- A better understanding of parties and party systems in the region;
- Opportunities to develop contacts and networks with other parties in their own countries and throughout the region; and
- Development of links with Australian parties and institutions.
This course was again well supported by Australia’s main political parties, with requests for site visits, meetings and guest presenters positively received. Nineteen participants from seven countries attended the course, and the majority of these participants hold senior positions in their respective parties. In addition, the group included a political trainer from the International Republican Institute in East Timor, and a Solomon Islands’ advocate for women’s political representation. The group included one current Member of Parliament (Vanuatu’s only woman MP) and an MP elected at Fiji’s most recent democratic elections in 2006. It was the first time that Samoa was represented on the course, and only the second time that Malaysia has been included. CDI did not call for nominations from Indonesia this year due to that country’s focus on presidential and parliamentary elections this year.
There continues to be significant interest from the target countries to participate, with about 40 nominations being received – a very high number considering the absence of Indonesian nominations. Participants were required to be fluent in written and spoken English, and this enabled good dissemination of information and exchanges of ideas between participants and presenters. The course also included specific sessions on women in politics, with a focus on how Australia’s main parties encourage women’s involvement in administrative and campaign aspects of party work.
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