Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities highlight local rehab centre working with persons with disabilities during 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in New South Wales
The Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD) network, led by the CPwD Chairperson, Hon. Laura Kanushu, MP (Uganda), have highlighted the work of a local rehabilitation centre working with persons living with disabilities during the 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in New South Wales.
The CPwD Regional Champions went to the Royal Rehab Ryde, a rehabilitation hospital, in Sydney to see their work.
During the visit, they toured the Brain and Spine Injury Units and the Royal Rehab Lifeworks Unit. Other facilities such as the Outdoor Recreation and Sports Courts were also viewed by the visiting CPwD Regional Champions and Members participated in an interactive demonstration on Wheelchair Basketball and Tennis.
Above: CPwD Regional Champions attending the 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Sydney visited a rehabilitation centre working with people with disabilities in New South Wales. Click here for more images from the 67th CPC.
The Chairperson of the CPwD network, Hon. Laura Kanushu, MP said:
“Rehabilitation centres and associated organisations are of vital importance to empowering people with disabilities globally. Any Parliamentarian, with or without a disability, must engage with such entities to develop their understanding of how they can represent the disability community within their own jurisdictions. This activity provided an excellent opportunity for the CPwD’s Regional Champions to learn more about how rehabilitation therapies facilitate persons living with disabilities in Australia and we will take back what we have learnt for our work as Parliamentarians across the Commonwealth.”
The outreach visit was organised through Hon. Liesl Tesch, MP (New South Wales Legislative Assembly) who is the CPwD Regional Champion for the CPA Australia Region.
The CPwD network was established by the CPA to support Parliamentarians living with disabilities to be more effective in their roles and to help improve awareness of disability issues amongst all Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff. The network also seeks to address inequalities facing persons with disabilities and helps to raise awareness within the parliamentary context.
The Regional Champions of the Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD) network also met for their annual governance meeting during the 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in New South Wales. The CPwD Regional Champions represent each of the CPA’s nine Regions and promote the rights of Commonwealth Parliamentarians with disabilities in their respective Regions and represent disability interests within the CPA.
Above: The CPwD Regional Champions at their governance and planning meeting held at the New South Wales Parliament. More images of the 67th CPC available via the CPA's Flickr page.
During the meeting, the CPwD Regional Champions set the agenda of the network for the year ahead and the CPA Headquarters reported recent CPwD activities including the Capital Investment Fund supporting Commonwealth Parliaments to become more accessible.
Delegates at the 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in New South Wales also joined a workshop on creating inclusive elections for Persons with Disabilities (PwD) which examined practical examples of inclusion during election campaigns and processes, chaired by the CPwD Chairperson and including CPwD Regional Champions for the CPA British Islands and Mediterranean and the CPA South-East Asia Regions, Hon. Jeremy Balfour, MSP (Scotland) and Senator Isaiah Jacob (Malaysia) as panellists.
To find out more about the Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD) network, please click here.
One of the largest gatherings of Commonwealth Parliamentarians, the 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference brought together over 700 Parliamentarians, parliamentary staff and decision makers from across the Commonwealth for this unique conference and networking opportunity.
The 67th CPC was the first time that the CPA New South Wales Branch hosted the event and the first time that an Australian State or Territory hosted the CPA annual conference.
During the 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, there were also a number of additional conferences and meetings including: 40th CPA Small Branches Conference; 8th Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Conference; meetings of the Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD) network; the CPA General Assembly and meetings of the CPA Executive Committee; and the 58th Society of Clerks at the Table (SOCATT) meetings.
During the conference, a number of elections also took place for the Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee, the CPA Small Branches Chairperson and the CPA Vice-Chairperson.
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Further information about the 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) can be found at the official conference website and also at the 67th CPC Hub.
On social media follow the hashtag #67CPC
Images of the 67th CPC are also available at the CPA's Flickr page.
The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) organises its annual Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) to address global political issues and developments in the parliamentary system through conference workshops and sessions for leading Parliamentarians representing Parliaments and Legislatures throughout the Commonwealth.
The CPA is an international community of almost 180 Commonwealth Parliaments and Legislatures working together to deepen the Commonwealth’s commitment to the highest standards of democratic governance.
For media enquiries, please contact communications@cpahq.org.
