58th Meeting of the Society-of-Clerks-at-the-Table (SoCATT) in New South Wales
Commonwealth Parliamentary Clerks share best practice and innovations in Parliaments at 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in New South Wales
The 58th Meeting of the Society-of-Clerks-at-the-Table (SoCATT) took place in the margins of the 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) in New South Wales. The meeting brought together Parliamentary Clerks and parliamentary staff from Commonwealth Parliaments to discuss the latest legislative practices and to share best practice.
The meeting was jointly chaired by Mr David Blunt, Clerk of the Parliaments of New South Wales and Honorary Secretary / Treasurer of the CPA New South Wales Branch and Ms Helen Minnican, Clerk of the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales.
Presentations were made during the two-day meeting by a number of different Parliamentary Clerks on a wide range of subjects including:
- citizen participation in Parliament;
- Parliamentary oversight of Executive undertakings;
- Parliamentary reform;
- Parliamentary privilege;
- initiatives to promote transparency;
- digital democracy;
- the impact of legislators in managing natural disasters;
- reconciliation with indigenous peoples and Legislative Assemblies;
- the development of relations between Parliaments and
- the CPA’s work on Standards for Codes of Conduct in the Parliamentary workplace.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the Society’s accounts for 2023 and proposals for the agenda for the 59th SoCATT General Meeting to be held in Barbados in 2025 were agreed.
For further information about SoCATT 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.
-ENDS-
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.
