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Raising parliamentary awareness
By Ian Harris, ASGP President  In Samoa
Over the last year I have had the most enjoyable opportunity to assist in programs designed to raise the parliamentary awareness of Members of Parliament and staff serving legislatures The experiences have provided me with the opportunity talk about Australian operations and to learn about the way things are done in other jurisdictions.
In July 2004 I participated in a seminar held in Apia, Samoa, organised by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association with participants from staff of the Parliaments from Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, New Zealand, Niue, Samoa, Tonga, and Tuvalu.
Pictured above:
Ipi Cross (NZ), Niall Johnson (CPAHQ)and Nga Valoa ( Cook Islands ), Apia, Samoa, 2004
In Vietnam
 I also had the opportunity to participate in two workshops organised in Vietnam to facilitate discussion between members of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
One workshop concentrated on parliamentary oversight, the other had as its theme "Parliamentary development: Experience of Vietnam and other countries".
The workshops were held in conjunction with the Swedish International Development Agency and the United Nations Development Program. Principally organised by Dr Nguyen Si Dung , Deputy Secretary-General of the Vietnam National Assembly Office, the workshops' participants included the Secretary-General of the Thailand House of Representatives, the Secretary-General of the Parliament of Laos, Secretaries-General from the legislature of Cambodia, the Secretary-General of the State Great Hural, Mongolia, and representatives of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China.
Pictured above: HE Mr Nguyen Van Yeu with Secretaries-General and UNDP staff, Ho Chi Minh City December 2004
As I have indicated, I found these experiences to provide an excellent opportunity for mutual gaining of knowledge and understanding. I am looking forward in April 2005 to participating in the first Conference of Secretaries-General and Clerks of West African Parliaments in Abuja, Nigeria. I will provide more complete details in the President's annual report to ASGP members.
Article by Ian Harris, President of the ASGP, and Clerk of the House of Representatives, Australia.
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