Commonwealth Parliamentary Association


The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, previously known as the Empire Parliamentary Association, is an organisation which works to support good governance, democracy and human rights.
As of 1989, the CPA acknowledges as Patron – the Head of the Commonwealth, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II – and as Vice-Patron, by rotation Heads of State or Heads of Government of the Commonwealth national government hosting its upcoming annual Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference. The Association's supreme authority is the General Assembly, constituted by delegates to the annual Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference. The business and activities of the CPA are managed by an Executive Committee, which reports to the General Assembly. The CPA's funds are derived from membership fees paid by its branches, as well as from two trust funds and benefactors.
The official publication of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association is The Parliamentarian, the Journal of Commonwealth Parliaments which was first published in January 1920. The organisation administers the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians, a network across the Commonwealth which promotes greater representation for women in Parliament, the CPA Small Branches network, representing parliaments and legislatures with populations below 500,000 people, and the Commonwealth Youth Parliament, an annual gathering of young people hosted by a Commonwealth Parliament.
The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association currently has approximately 180 branches and is divided into nine regions – Africa; Asia; Australia; British Islands and Mediterranean; Canada; Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic; India; Pacific, and South-East Asia. The CPA Headquarters Secretariat is based in London.

History

The CPA was founded as the Empire Parliamentary Association in 1911, with its first branches being Australia, Canada, Newfoundland, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom, the latter branch administering the Association as a whole. In 1948 the Association changed its name to the current Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, and invited all branches to participate in the organisation's administration.

Officers

The current Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee is Hon. Emilia Lifaka MP, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Cameroon. Previous Chairpersons have included Hon. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Speaker of Jatiyo Sangsad Bhaban of Bangladesh, who succeeded Rt Hon. Sir Alan Haselhurst MP, formerly Chairman of Ways and Means of the UK Parliament.
The current Vice-Chairperson is Hon. John Ajaka MLC, President of the New South Wales Legislative Council at the Parliament of New South Wales.
The current Treasurer is Hon. Shamsul Iskandar Md. Akin, MP of the Parliament of Malaysia.
The current Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians is Hon. Shandana Gulzar Khan, MNA from the National Assembly of Pakistan.
The current Chairperson for CPA Small Branches is Hon. Niki Rattle, Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament.

Secretaries-General

The CPA's Acting Secretary-General is Mr Jarvis Matiya
Previous Secretaries-General have been:
Mr Karimulla Akbar Khan, UK/Guyanese Lawyer ; Dr. William F. Shija, former Minister Tanzania Parliament ; Hon. Denis Marshall, former Minister New Zealand Parliament ; Hon. Arthur Donahoe, former Speaker Nova Scotia House of Assembly ; Hon. Dr. David Tonkin, former Premier South Australia ; Sir Robin Vandervelt from South Africa ; Sir Howard d’Egville.

Members

Members of the CPA are listed below. Both national and subnational parliaments are included.

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