Parliament of Australia

Key Facts

Head of State: King Charles III

Joined the Commonwealth: 1931

Capital City (location of Parliament): Canberra

Unicameral/Bicameral: Bicameral - House of Representatives (150), Senate (76)

Further Information:

• Parliament of Australia
• IPU - House of Representatives and Senate
• CPA Country Directory
• CPA Australia Region
• Commonwealth Secretariat
• UN Data
• BBC Country Profile
• British High Commission Canberra
• Australian High Commission London

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CPA UK & Australia

CPA UK has a strong and historic relationship with Australia, working closely with the Commonwealth Parliament and the State Legislatures. The relationship is largely diplomatic, enhancing the substantial people-to-people links between the UK and Australia by cementing relationships between parliamentarians in both countries.

Engagement at the national level has focused on areas of mutual interest. Recent delegations have focused on the trade relationship between the two countries and the relationship in the post-Brexit landscape. Similarly, areas such as defence and security cooperation, the Commonwealth, modern slavery, and integration have all formed key parts of recent engagement.

CPA UK also has a vibrant relationship with the Australian State Legislatures, regularly welcoming state-level parliamentarians to explore a range of relevant issues, such as public transport provision, children in care and aviation policy. Australian State Legislatures have also supported CPA UK’s parliamentary strengthening work in the Pacific Region.

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Our Recent Programmes

Women in Trade Workshop, Westminster, 20-22 June 2023

Members of Parliament from across the Commonwealth participated in CPA UK's Women in Trade Workshop, held on 20 - 22 June 2023 in the UK Parliament. CPA UK's first all-women in-person multilateral programme, brought together women parliamentarians from across the Commonwealth, for a three-day Workshop designed to strengthen their knowledge of international trade and to discuss specific impact of trade agreements on gender equality, poverty alleviation, and the economic empowerment of women in the Commonwealth.

To read the Women in Trade Workshop Final Report, click here.

Asia-Pacific Regional Workshop on the Role of Parliamentary Committees in Combatting Human Trafficking & Forced Labour, Parliament of Western Australia, Perth, 16-18 December 2019

Parliamentarians from across the Asia-Pacific were in Perth, Australia to participate in a workshop organised by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK (CPA UK), in partnership with the Parliament of Western Australia, from 16-18 December 2019. The lawmakers explored their role in leading the fight against human trafficking and forced labour. Read more here.

Speaker-led Delegation Visit from the New South Wales Parliament, Westminster, 9-11 September 2019

From 9-11 September 2019 CPA UK hosted a delegation from the New South Wales Parliament led by Hon. Jonathan O'Dea MP, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. Covering parliamentary procedure, legislative scrutiny, and public outreach, the programme also explored the current political landscape in Westminster.

Parliamentary Delegation to the UK, Westminster & Manchester, 4-7 June 2018

CPA UK hosted a delegation, led by the President of the Senate, from the Commonwealth Parliament of Australia. The delegation engaged with parliamentary colleagues, select committee chairs, and government Ministers to discuss a number of issues, including trade, security and LGBT rights, relevant to the UK and Australia.

Bilateral Visit to Australia, Brisbane, Canberra & Sydney, 7-18 March 2017

A CPA UK delegation visited Australia to engage with the Commonwealth Parliament and the State Legislatures in Queensland and New South Wales. Through engagement with parliamentary colleagues, Ministers and civil society, the visit focused on trade, Brexit, defence and security cooperation, agriculture and integration. The delegation also had the opportunity to engage with Pacific parliamentarians in Brisbane at the CPA UK-organised Pacific Islands Westminster Seminar.

Pacific Islands Westminster Seminar, Brisbane, 9-11 March 2017

In partnership with the Queensland Parliament, CPA UK organised the Pacific Islands Westminster Seminar in Brisbane. Based on CPA UK’s flagship Westminster Seminar the Pacific Seminar invited parliamentarians and clerks from all CPA branches in the Pacific Region to exchange views and good practice on parliamentary practice and procedure. The Seminar focused on the role of MPs in their community, good practice for parliamentary oversight of the executive, and shared experiences of climate change mitigation.