Official Visit of the Honourable Peter Milliken, M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons, and a Parliamentary Delegation, to New Zealand and Australia

From August 1 to 12, 2005, the Speaker of the House of Commons led a parliamentary delegation composed of Mrs. Karen Redman, M.P., Mr. Jay Hill, M.P., Mr. Bernard Bigras, M.P. and Ms. Libby Davies, M.P., to New Zealand and Australia. The visit was in reply to an official invitation from the Speaker of the Parliament of New Zealand, the Honourable Margaret Wilson and the two Presiding Officers of the Parliament of Australia, the Honourable Paul Calvert, Senator, President of the Senate and the Honourable David Hawker, M.P., Speaker of the House of Representatives.

In New Zealand, the delegation met with:

• The Honourable Dame Silvia Cartwright, Governor-General of New Zealand;
• The Right Honourable Helen Clark, Prime Minister of New Zealand;
• The Honourable Margaret Wilson, MP, Speaker of the House of Representatives;
• The Honourable Chris Carter, Minister of Conservation;
• Mrs. Ann Hartley, M.P., Deputy Speaker;
• Dr. the Honourable Lockwood Smith, M.P.;
• The Honourable Clem Simich, M.P.;
• Mrs. Steve Chadwick, M.P.;
• Mr. David McGee, Clerk of the House of Representatives;
• Dr. Helena Catt, Chief Executive, Electoral Commission;
• Ms. Helen Beaumont, Assistant Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment;
• Lieutenant Colonel Steve Odell; and
• Dr. Stephen Levine.

In Australia, they met with:

• The Honourable Paul Calvert, Senator, President of the Senate;
• The Honourable David Hawker M.P., Speaker of the House of Representatives;
• The Honourable Robert Hill, Senator, Minister of Defence and Leader of the Government in the Senate;
• The Honourable Alexander Downer, M.P., Minister for Foreign Affairs;
• The Honourable Philip Ruddock, M.P., Attorney General;
• Mr. Les Luck, Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism;
• Mr. Cameron Thompson, M.P., Chair of the Australia-Canada Parliamentary Group;
• The Honourable Meredith Burgmann, President of the Legislative Council of the Parliament of New South Wales;
• The Honourable John Aquilina M.P., Speaker of the Parliament of New South Wales;
• The Honourable Monica Gould, Speaker of the Legislative Council of Victoria;
• The Honourable Mrs Juddy Maddigan, M.P., Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Victoria;
• Mr. Alan Ferguson, Senator, Chairman Joint Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee;
• Mr. Brendan Pearson, Mineral Council of Australia, Director, Public Affairs;
• Mr. Damian Dwyer, Mineral Council of Australia, Assistant Director, Economics and Commerce;
• Mr. Peter Bernard, General Manager, Economic Planning and Market Services, Meat and Livestock Australia Ltd.;
• Mr. Allan Bloxsom, General Manager, Industry Systems, Meat and Livestock Australia Ltd;
• Mr. Chris Ogilvy, Chief Executive, Note Printing Australia;
• Commodore James Goldrick, Commandant, Australian Defence Force Academy; and
• Mr. Jonathan Scott, General Manager, Australian Wine Export Council.

The visit sought to encourage ongoing parliamentary dialogue between Canada and New Zealand and Australia; to highlight the range of Canada’s interests in New Zealand and Australia by pursuing good relations in all fields of contact; and to revitalize the links created by shared membership in multilateral organizations such as the UN, the Commonwealth, the WTO, APEC and the Cairns Group of Agricultural exporters.

View report.