Tonga's Speaker of the House, Lord Fakafanua, is joining more than 60 parliamentarians from Australia and Pacific at a Presiding Officers and Clerks Conference held in Wellington this week.

He is accompanied by the Chief Clerk of the House, Gloria Guttenbeil Pole’o.

Delegates will present conference papers on a range of topics from how parliaments can develop and change, to the role of the Speaker and security and stability.

Rt. Hon Trevor Mallard, Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives, said legislatures around the region differ dramatically in terms of size but they all face similar challenges in how to ensure parliaments are family friendly, accountable, open and diverse in the 21^st century.

“Parliaments cannot run without an efficient team of Clerks and Presiding Officers. This conference provides a valuable opportunity for representatives from around the Pacific to share ideas, impart knowledge and grow global connections for stronger parliaments.”

David Wilson, Clerk of the House of Representatives said the New Zealand Parliament takes great pride in hosting the 2018 conference. 

"We’re confident that delegates will leave the conference with an enhanced understanding of how to support the function of democracy in their legislature”.

Guest speakers will include former New Zealand Prime Minister, Rt. Hon Helen Clark; Dr Gill Greer, Chief Executive of the National Council of Women NZ and Professor the Hon Margaret Wilson, among others.

In addition, other issues discussed will include family friendly parliaments and communicating parliament to the people.

Attending Presiding Officers (Speakers) and Clerks are from Australia, the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Micronesia, Niue, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

The annual conference is hosted by a different parliament each year. Tonga hosted the event in 2016.