The CPA Small Branches network comprises of Commonwealth jurisdictions with populations up to 1,000,000 and operates within the framework of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. It is governed by an elected Chairperson and a Steering Committee of representatives from each of the CPA Regions within the CPA Small Branches network. Staff from the CPA Headquarters Secretariat support the network by coordinating activities alongside its members.

CPA Small Branches Steering Committee

The CPA Small Branches Steering Committee comprises of the CPA Small Branches Chairperson and nine Members who represent the nine Regions of the CPA that include Small Branches: Africa; Australia; Asia; British Islands and the Mediterranean; Canada; Caribbean, Americas and the Atlantic; India; Pacific; and South-East Asia.

The formation of the CPA Small Branches Steering Committee was approved and recommended by the CPA Executive Committee at its Mid-Year Meeting in Mauritius in 2018.

The current list of Regional Representatives on the CPA Small Branches Steering Committee are as follows:

• CPA Africa Region: Hon. Churchill Gill, MNA (Seychelles)
• CPA Asia Region: Hon. Ahmed Nazim, MP, Deputy Speaker of the People's Majlis (The Maldives)
• CPA Australia Region (interim): Hon. Michelle O'Byrne, MP, Speaker of the House of Assembly (Tasmania) 
• CPA British Islands and Mediterranean Region: Deputy Adrian Gabriel (Guernsey)
• CPA Canada Region: Hon. Derek Bennett, MHA, Speaker of the House of Assembly (Newfoundland and Labrador)
• CPA Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic Region: Hon. Lanein Blanchette, Speaker of the National Assembly (St Kitts and Nevis)
• CPA India Region: Shri Mingma Narbu Sherpa, MLA, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly (Sikkim)
• CPA Pacific Region: Hon. Lord Fakafanua, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly (Tonga)
• CPA South East Asia Region: YB Tuan Kerk Chee Yee, MLA, Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly (Melaka)

CPA Small Branches Chairperson

The position of CPA Small Branches Chairperson was approved at the 60th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Yaoundé, Cameroon in 2014 and the first elected Chairperson began in 2016. The CPA Small Branches Chairperson is elected at the CPA Small Branches Conference for a term of three years. 

Joy Burch MLA, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory

Chairperson of the CPA Small Branches network (2022-2025)

Biography

Joy Burch was elected as CPA Small Branches Chairperson in August 2022 at the 38th CPA Small Branches Conference. Previously she assumed the role of Acting CPA Small Branches Chairperson in February 2021 upon the resignation of the previous CPA Small Branches Chairperson, Hon. Niki Rattle (Cook Islands). She was at the time the Vice-Chairperson of the CPA Small Branches Steering Committee and so assumed the role of Acting CPA Small Branches Chairperson until the next CPA Small Branches Conference.

As CPA Small Branches Chairperson, Joy Burch MLA also becomes a member of the CPA Executive Committee and the CPA Coordinating Committee. 

Joy Burch was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in 2008 and has served on a number of Committees including Administration and Procedure; Health, Ageing, Community and Social Services; and Justice and Community; and has held several Ministerial positions. She served as Deputy Speaker becoming Speaker of the Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory in October 2016.

Under CPA election rules only delegates from CPA Small Branches to the next Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference can take part in the vote to elect a new Chairperson. The next election will take place at the 40th CPA Small Branches Conference in 2024.  

Previous CPA Small Branches Chairpersons:

• 2019-2021: Hon. Niki Rattle, Speaker of the Parliament of the Cook Islands 
• 2016-2019: Hon. Angelo Farrugia, MP, Speaker of the Parliament of Malta

CPA Africa Region

• Seychelles

CPA Asia Region

• Maldives

CPA Australia Region

• Australian Capital Territory
• Northern Territory
• Tasmania

CPA British Islands and Mediterranean Region

• Alderney
• Falkland Islands
• Gibraltar
• Guernsey
• Isle of Man
• Jersey
• Malta
• St Helena

CPA Canada Region

• New Brunswick
• Newfoundland and Labrador
• Northwest Territories
• Nunavut
• Prince Edward Island
• Yukon

CPA Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic Region

• Anguilla
• Antigua and Barbuda
• The Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belize
• Bermuda
• British Virgin Islands
• Cayman Islands
• Dominica
• Grenada
• Guyana
• Montserrat
• Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• St Kitts and Nevis
• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• Turks and Caicos Islands

CPA India Region

• Sikkim

CPA Pacific Region

• Bougainville
• Cook Islands
• Fiji
• Kiribati
• Nauru
• Niue
• Samoa
• Solomon Islands
• Tonga
• Tuvalu
• Vanuatu

CPA South-East Asia Region

• Melaka
• Perlis