Latest Updates

51st POCC Presiding Officers & Clerks Conference Highlights

Condolence call at the Japanese Embassy Office in Nuku’alofa by Lord Vaea, Hon. Chairman of the Whole House Committee of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga

12 July 2022 – Lord Vaea represented the Lord Speaker and the Legislative Assembly of Tonga in a condolence call at the Japanese Embassy’s Office in Nuku’alofa, following the untimely passing on 8 July 2022 of Mr ABE Shinzo, Former Prime Minister of Japan and a towering figure in Japanese politics and diplomacy.

Engaging the Public is important to Parliaments, Social Media can be a double edged sword and Covid-19 was a challenge; 51ST POCC.

Conducting and running parliamentary sittings during the Pandemic was the common challenge that most Parliaments in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific including Tonga faced in the last 12 to 18 months. This was raised during presentations and country reports from all jurisdictions.

51st Presiding Officers and Clerks Conference.

“Democracy’s Way Forward”: Facing many challenges in a rapidly changing world, our parliaments must seize the opportunity to strengthen and revitalise democracy is this year’s theme for the 51st Presiding Officer’s and Clerks Conference in Melbourne, Australia from the 4th to the 8th of July,2022.