It is announced that the Commonwealth Parliament of Australia will be rejoining the membership of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) from 1 January 2018. The 63rd CPA General Assembly, meeting in Dhaka, Bangladesh at the 63rd Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, approved the application from the Parliament of Australia to reconstitute the Commonwealth of Australia Branch of the CPA following their application to re-join the CPA.

The Deputy President of the Senate of Australia, Senator Sue Lines attended the 63rd CPA General Assembly as an observer on behalf of the Parliament of Australia and said: “We are very pleased that our nomination to re-join the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association has been accepted. Australia was a founding member of the CPA in 1911, we take that legacy seriously and look forward to playing a positive role in the CPA into the future.”

The newly elected Chairperson of the CPA International Executive Committee, Hon. Emilia Monjowa Lifaka, MP, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Cameroon said: “The return of the CPA Commonwealth of Australia Branch will be welcomed by all of the CPA’s membership as it demonstrates the CPA’s commitment to good governance and parliamentary strengthening in all of its nine regions. As the newly elected CPA Chairperson, I look forward to building new links with the Branch to advance the CPA’s parliamentary development goals.”

The Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Mr Akbar Khan welcomed the return of the Commonwealth of Australia Branch of the CPA and said: “The return of the Commonwealth of Australia Branch of the CPA strengthens our network and serves as a testament to the success of the CPA as a leader in the field of parliamentary development. I look forward to working with Parliamentarians from the CPA Australia Federal Branch to further the work of the CPA in promoting our shared values of democracy, rule of law and human rights.”

The Commonwealth of Australia Branch withdrew from the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association on 31 December 2012 and following extensive consultations between the Parliament of Australia and the CPA Headquarters Secretariat, the Parliament of Australia submitted their application to re-constitute the Commonwealth of Australia Branch of the CPA.