Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I present the report of the Australian parliamentary delegation to Zambia and Mauritius from 21 to 27 September 2025.

It was my privilege to lead this multipartisan parliamentary delegation, joined by Senator Claire Chandler, senator for Tasmania, as the deputy leader of the delegation; Senator Deborah O'Neill, senator for New South Wales; Senator Dorinda Cox, senator for Western Australia; Senator Tammy Tyrrell, senator for Tasmania; and Ms Mary Doyle, the federal member for Aston. I'm not quite sure, but this may be the first time an all-female delegation has been led by a Speaker.

This Australian parliamentary delegation to Zambia and Mauritius was historic, strengthening and enhancing parliamentary relations between our nations with, of course, a focus on parliament-to-parliament dialogue. Australia and Zambia share deep ties. Our people-to-people links and parliamentary links form the foundation of our strong bilateral relationship. The Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia, the Rt. Hon. Nelly Butete Kashumba Mutti, and I serve on the Executive Committee of the Inter-Parliamentary Union together. We share common values as constitutional democracies with the parliament at the core.

The delegation was honoured to attend a number of meetings and events hosted by the Speaker of Zambia, including a sitting of the National Assembly of Zambia and meetings with parliamentary committees and caucuses. The delegation was supported in Zambia by Australia's deputy head of mission, Mr Isaac Matia, and I thank him and his colleagues for the high level of support that was provided to the delegation.

Mauritius and Australia also share deep ties, with Australia hosting the second largest diaspora after the UK, with an estimated population of 36,000 people of Mauritian descent in Australia, including a member of the House of Representatives. The delegation was hosted by the Speaker of the Mauritius National Assembly, the Hon. Mrs Shirin Aumeeruddy-Cziffra. The delegation called on the President of Mauritius as well as the Prime Minister of Mauritius. The delegation also met with parliamentary colleagues across committees, strengthening our relationships and sharing information about our respective parliamentary systems. Mauritius and Australia share a strong commitment to parliamentary education for young people. I was honoured to be able to address the youth parliament of Mauritius at the Curtin Mauritius campus. I spoke about expanding parliamentary education through Australia's Parliamentary Education Office and the number of various civics programs here in Australia.

The delegation was delighted to meet with the Indian Ocean Rim Association, which is headquartered in Mauritius and of which Australia and Mauritius are members. The delegation wishes to thank Her Excellency Ms Kate Chamley, Australia's high commissioner to Mauritius, and her staff, who offered a high level of support to the delegation. I wish to record our appreciation of the preparation that went into the visit, including arrangements made by the Australian parliament's International and Parliamentary Relations Office, and especially of Ms Sophie Killick. The delegation would also like to thank officials from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for their invaluable work in the lead-up to and during the delegation and of course to the staff at the Parliamentary Library.

Finally, I offer these observations. Australia has much to contribute but also much to gain in strengthening its ties with people and their parliaments across the globe. I was pleased to be able to contribute to this by leading this important delegation to Zambia and Mauritius in September last year. I commend the report to the House.