67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference
About Us

Our Governance

Governance

Find out about the CPA's governance

Good governance lies at the heart of the CPA’s Mission and we are therefore committed to the responsible and effective administration of our organisation, with a keen focus on transparency, accountability, financial oversight and thorough auditing processes.

The CPA has always been an organisation overseen by Members of Parliament expressly for Members of Parliament since it was established in 1911. That premise remains the same over 110 years later. Commonwealth Parliamentarians play an active role in governing, scrutinising, advising and supporting the Association, and doing so to the highest of standards. 

The CPA was registered as a charity on 22 October 1971 (registration number 263147) under the laws of the United Kingdom. As such, the Executive Committee of the Association has a dual role as Trustees. 

CPA Strategic Plan 2022-2025

CPA Strategic Plan 2022-2025

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Strategic Plan for 2022-2025 sets out its support for our membership of 180 Commonwealth Parliaments as well as how the organisation will advance and develop support to CPA Members through focusing on six core objectives and cross cutting themes that will be mainstreamed across CPA operations and workstreams.

Constitution
Commonwealth Parliamentarians who, irrespective of gender, race, religion or culture, being united by community of interest, respect for the rule of law and individual rights and freedoms, and by pursuit of the positive ideals of parliamentary democracy, have established the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.

(Preamble to the CPA Constitution)

 

The CPA Constitution provides the authority on the aims of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, an outline of the respective governance structures and a number of rules and procedures for the functioning of the Association. 

Drafted by Mr John Sweetman, former Clerk of Committees in the UK House of Commons, the current Constitution of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association was first approved and adopted by the General Assembly on 6 September 1993, at the 39th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Limassol, Cyprus.

The Constitution has since seen a number of amendments following its adoption, the most recent of which was at the 65th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Halifax, Canada on 25 August 2022.

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association has, however, had a number of previous constitutions across its history, the first of which was approved and adopted on 18 July 1911, thereby founding the then Empire Parliamentary Association.

Please find a pdf copy of the CPA Constitution here.

General Assembly

The General Assembly, the Association’s supreme authority, is constituted by delegates to the Annual Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference.

The General Assembly has the ultimate authority to determine the policy and management of the Association including the annual membership fee and other financial obligations of the Members of the Association; the Regions of the Association and the allocation of each Branch to a Region; the number of Regional Representatives; the venue within the Commonwealth of each plenary conference, and the number of delegates and officials which each Branch shall be entitled to send to a plenary conference.

Attendees at the General Assembly usually include the Officers of the Association; Regional Representatives and Branch delegates to the plenary conference at which the meeting of the General Assembly is held. Other persons may be invited by the Association to attend the General Assembly as observers.

Executive Committee

The Constitution of the CPA vests in an Executive Committee the control and management of the activities and business of the Association. The CPA Executive Committee meets just prior to and just after the General Assembly, to which it reports, and the CPA Executive Committee holds a second meeting in another Commonwealth country midway between General Assemblies.

The CPA Executive Committee consists of approximately 36 Members led by the Chairperson of the CPA and comprising the Officers of the Association (who include the Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP), the CPA Small Branches Chairperson and the Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities Chairperson) and three Regional Representatives from each Region, except the CPA Africa Region which, as the largest Region in the Commonwealth, has six Regional Representatives.

The CPA Executive Committee also has two Honorary members - the CPA President and the CPA Vice-President. These roles are traditionally held by the Presiding Officers of the 'next' and 'next but one' hosts of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference.

As the CPA is a UK Registered charity, the CPA Executive Committee act as the charity's legal trustees.  

The CPA Executive Committee is supported by four subcommittees: CPA Coordinating Committee, CPA Audit Committee, Planning & Review Subcommittee and the Finance Subcommittee.

Coordinating Committee

The CPA Coordinating Committee is a Subcommittee of the CPA Executive Committee comprising six of the Officers of the Association - these are the CPA Chairperson, CPA Vice-Chairperson, CPA Treasurer, the Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP), the CPA Small Branches Chairperson and the Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD) Chairperson. 

The CPA Coordinating Committee is tasked with supporting the CPA Headquarters Secretariat and the CPA Executive Committee on a range of matters. 

Working Groups

The CPA Executive Committee has the power to create adhoc working groups with a remit to focus on specific issues of the Association. These can range from topics on the status of the Association, premises of the CPA Headquarters Secretariat or specialist thematic topics like Human Rights, etc. The working groups have a limited life-span and they will report their findings to the CPA Executive Committee to take forward. 

Branches and Regions

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association is composed of approximately 180 Branches formed in Parliament and Legislatures in Commonwealth countries and territories which subscribe to parliamentary democracy. The Members of the Legislature in which a Branch is formed are entitled to become Members of that Branch. For a Branch to qualify it must be a legislative body, thus both national and state or provincial Parliaments as well as the Legislatures of dependent territories may form Branches of the CPA.
 
The Presiding Officers of Legislative Chambers are normally the CPA Branch Presidents, while the Leaders of the parliamentary parties are Branch Vice-Presidents. The Clerk or Secretary-General of the Legislature usually acts as the Secretary of the Branch.
 
Every CPA Branch is autonomous and the affairs of most CPA Branches are managed by a Branch Executive Committee, elected annually by Members and usually representative of all main parties or groups. Many CPA Branches require their Members to pay an annual subscription and many permit Members to apply for associate status on ceasing to belong to the Legislature.
 
CPA Branches are currently grouped geographically into nine Commonwealth Regions for representation on the CPA Executive Committee and for the organisation of regional conferences and seminars on parliamentary practice and procedure. Click here for an A to Z list of CPA Branches.

The nine Regions of the CPA are: Africa; Asia; Australia; British Islands and Mediterranean (BIM); Canada; Caribbean, Americas and the Atlantic (CAA); India; Pacific; and South-East Asia. 

To access the websites for the Regions of the CPA please click on the following links (opens in new window):

Patron of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association

Honorary Head of the Association
His Majesty King Charles III
Patron of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and Head of the Commonwealth

Patron and Vice-Patron of the Association

In 1989, the CPA created the constitutional posts of Patron and Vice-Patron of the Association.

According to the Constitution of the CPA, the Patron of the Association shall be a person of the highest eminence dedicated to the ideals represented by the Commonwealth, and the honorary titular head of the Association who may be expected, whenever possible, to attend formal gatherings of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.

The Vice-Patron shall be the Head of State or their representative or Head of the Government of the country or jurisdiction in which the next plenary conference is to be held and to hold office from the time of appointment until the conclusion of the next plenary conference. The Vice-Patron will assist the Patron in the performance of his or her functions and, in the absence of the Patron or where there is a vacancy in that office, shall carry out the functions of
the Patron.

President of the Association

2023-present
Hon. Ben Franklin, MLC, President of the Legislative Council of New South Wales
CPA President
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association hq.sec@cpahq.org
Role of the President

The CPA President was appointed on behalf of the CPA New South Wales Branch ahead of the 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, due to be held in November 2024 in Sydney, Australia.

The President of the Association is typically the Presiding Officer of the next CPC host Branch. They act as the honorary head of the Association and their duties are to preside over the CPA General Assembly and to Chair the Elections Committee.

Current CPA President's Biography

Ben Franklin is an Australian politician who served as as a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from March 2015 until March 2019, representing the National Party. He resigned in 2019 to contest the Legislative Assembly seat of Ballina, but was subsequently re-appointed in May 2019 to fulfil his previous role. He served as the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, the Minister for the Arts, and the Minister for Regional Youth between December 2021 and March 2023. He became the President of the New South Wales Legislative Council in May 2023.

Prior to his election, Franklin served as the State Director of the National Party between 2008 and 2015 and was also a Communications Director at UNICEF Australia.

He studied a BA at the University of Sydney and is a former President of the NSW Young Liberals.

Vice-President of the Association

2024-present
Vacant
CPA Vice-President
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association hq.sec@cpahq.org
Role of the Vice-President

The CPA Vice-President is typically the Presiding Officer of the host Branch of the next but one Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference. 

Current Vice-President's Biography

Senator Hon. Reginald Farley is a Barbadian politician and accountant who has served has President of the Senate of Barbados since 2020.

Acting Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee

2024-present
Hon. Arthur Holder, MP, SC, Speaker of the House of Assembly of Barbados
Acting Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association hq.sec@cpahq.org
Role and Powers of the Chairperson

The role and authority of the Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee emanates from the Constitution of the CPA. As a document it serves to identify the aims, responsibilities and divisions of power between the various bodies of the Association. Although not the most supreme body of the Association, the CPA Executive Committee is empowered to lead and manage the Association’s affairs and is accountable to the General Assembly of the Association.

The role of the Chairperson is to be a spokesperson for the Association at relevant forums; provide leadership and direction to the CPA Executive Committee; and provide ongoing support and guidance to the CPA Secretary-General.

Current Acting CPA Chairperson's Biography

Hon. Arthur E. Holder, MP, SC is the Speaker of the House of Assembly of Barbados. He has served as the Speaker since 5 June 2018, when he was also first elected to the House of Assembly for the constituency of St Michael Central. Prior to his election, he was the senior advocate at Holder and Company. He has also worked as the Manager of the Barbados Child Care Board and the Programme Officer with the National Council on Substance Abuse. He attended the University of the West Indies and completed his post-graduate at the Barry University, Miami.

In October 2023, he was confirmed for the position of Vice-Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee by Committee Members attending the 66th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Ghana. The position of Vice-Chairperson is for a term of one year and the holder is also a Member of the CPA Co-ordinating Committee.

In July 2024, Hon. Arthur E. Holder, MP became the Acting CPA Chairperson in succession to Hon. Ian Liddell-Grainger from the United Kingdom.

Previous CPA Chairpersons

1967-70

 Hon. Peter Howson, MP         

 Australia

1970

 Hon. Gerard Montano, MP

 (incomplete term)

 Trinidad and Tobago

*1970-71

 Hon. Tun Tan Siew Sin, SSM, JP, MP

 Malaysia

1971-73

 Sir Frederick Bennett, MP                 

 United Kingdom

1973-76

 Hon. G. A. Regan, QC, MLA                           

 Nova Scotia

1976-79

 Hon. Datuk Musa Hitman, SPMJ, MP            

 Malaysia

1980   

 Hon. Ripton Macpherson, MP

 (incomplete term)

 Jamaica

 

*1981

 Hon. Clement Maynard, Vice-President and Acting  Chairman

 The Bahamas

 

1981-84

 Hon. G. R. Ottenheimer, MHA           

 Newfoundland

1984-87

 Dr the Hon. Bal Ram Jakhar, MP       

 India

1987-90

 Hon. Lavu Mulimba, MCC, MP

 Zambia

1990-93

 Hon. Clive Griffiths, MLC                               

 Western Australia

1993-96

 Sir Colin Shepherd, MP          

 United Kingdom

1996-99

 Hon. Billie Miller, MP

 Barbados

1999- 2002

 Hon. Pius Msekwa, MP                                  

 Tanzania

 2002-2004

 Hon. Bob Speller, MP
 (incomplete term)

 Canada

*2004-2005

 Hon. Constance Simelane, MP (Acting Chairperson)

 Swaziland

2005-2008

 Hon. Hashim Abdul Halim, MLA                    

 West Bengal, India

2008-2011

 Hon. Mohd Shafie Apdal, MP

 Malaysia

2011-2014

 Rt Hon. Sir Alan Haselhurst, MP

 United Kingdom

2014-2017
 

 Hon. Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, MP

 Bangladesh 

2017-2021

 Hon. Emilia Monjowa Lifaka, MP 

 Cameroon

*2021-2022

 Hon. Ian Liddell-Grainger, MP (Acting Chairperson)

 United Kingdom

2022 to 2024

 Hon. Ian Liddell-Grainger, MP

 United Kingdom

 *July 2024 to present

 Hon. Arthur Holder, MP, SC (Acting CPA Chairperson)

 Barbados

 

* Members elected to complete the terms of Chairpersons who ceased to be Parliamentarians during their terms of office and so relinquished their CPA positions as required by the Constitution or who died in office.

 

Vice-Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee

August 2024 - present
Senator Hon. Sue Lines, President of the Senate of Australia
Vice-Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association hq.sec@cpahq.org
Role of the Vice-Chairperson

The position of CPA Vice-Chairperson is for a term of one year and the holder is also a Member of the CPA Coordinating Committee. The CPA Vice-Chairperson is chosen from within the CPA Executive Committee and the Member remains as a Regional Representative for their CPA Region.

From August 2024, Senator Hon. Sue Lines, President of the Senate of Australia (also Regional Representative for CPA Australia Region) is the CPA Vice-Chairperson.

CPA Vice-Chairperson's biography

Senator Hon. Sue Lines is the President of the Senate in the Federal Parliament of Australia. She was first chosen by the Parliament of Western Australia in 2013 to represent the State in the Senate and was subsequently elected to the Senate for Western Australia in 2016 and 2022. She has held a number of parliamentary roles including as Deputy President and Chair of Committees from 2016 to 2022. Prior to her parliamentary service, she worked as a teacher and as a union organiser.

Treasurer

2022-2025
Hon. Shri Anurag Sharma, MP, Lok Sabha, Parliament of India
Treasurer
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association hq.sec@cpahq.org
Role of the CPA Treasurer

During the 65th CPA General Assembly which took place at the 65th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Canada, Members of the CPA endorsed the appointment of Hon. Shri Anurag Sharma, MP (India Union) as the new CPA Treasurer (2022-2025). 

The CPA Treasurer, who is a Member of the Association nominated by the CPA Executive Committee, is appointed for three years by the General Assembly and works with the CPA Secretary-General and the CPA Headquarters Secretariat to monitor the finances of the Association. The CPA Treasurer also joins the Trustees board of the Association and oversees the Working Capital Fund and Conference Assistance Fund.

Treasurer's Biography

Hon. Shri Anurag Sharma, MP is a Bharatiya Janata Party politician and Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha, Parliament of India from the Jhansi-Lalitpur constituency of Uttar Pradesh. He was first elected in 2019.

Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP)

2022-2025
Hon. Dr Zainab Gimba, MP, Federal Parliament of Nigeria
Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP)
Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) hq.sec@cpahq.org
Role of the CWP Chairperson

The Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) is Hon. Dr Zainab Gimba, MP, Federal Parliament of Nigeria.

The Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians was elected for a three-year term at the CWP Business Meeting at the seventh triennial conference of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) that took place in Halifax, Canada as part of the wider 65th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in 2022. 

More information on the CWP and its governance structure can be found here.  

Current CWP Chairperson's Biography

Hon. Dr Zainab Gimba, MP is a Member of the Nigerian House of Representatives, representing Bama/Ngala/Kala Balge Federal Constituency of Borno State.

She was elected into the House in February 2019, had her preliminary and secondary education in Borno State and proceeded to the University of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria where she obtained a Degree in Political Science and Public Administration and a Masters in Public Administration. At the University of Abuja, she also gained a Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration and Policy Analysis. She is one of the longest serving Commissioners in Borno State, serving from 2011 to 2018 and the only female representative in Parliament from the state.

CWP Chairperson's Articles

Recent Articles:

CPA Small Branches Chairperson

2022-2024
Joy Burch, MLA, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Australian Capital Territory
CPA Small Branches Chairperson
CPA Small Branches hq.sec@cpahq.org
Role of the CPA Small Branches Chairperson

Joy Burch was elected as the CPA Small Branches Chairperson in August 2022 at the 38th CPA Small Branches Conference in Halifax, Canada. 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). Joy Burch 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 also becomes a member of the CPA Executive Committee and the CPA Coordinating Committee. 

Under CPA election rules only delegates from CPA Small Branches to the next Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference will take part in the vote to elect a new CPA Small Branches Chairperson. The election of the new Chairperson of Small Branches takes place at the CPA Small Branches Conference due to be held as part of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference. 

Of the over 180 Branches of the CPA, forty-three Branches are classified as ‘Small Branches’ which are defined as jurisdictions having a population below 1 million people. The CPA Headquarters Secretariat works closely with CPA Small Branches in all Regions of the CPA to identify their unique needs and requirements in parliamentary strengthening, development and cooperation

More information on the CPA Small Branches network and its governance structure can be found here.  

Current CPA Small Branches Chairperson's Biography

Hon. Joy Burch was first elected 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 of the Australian Capital Territory in October 2016.

CPA Small Branches Chairperson's Articles

Recent Articles:

Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD) Chairperson

2022-2025

Hon. Laura Kanushu Opori, MP, Parliament of Uganda
Chairperson of Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD)
Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD) hq.sec@cpahq.org
Role of the CPwD Chairperson

Hon. Laura Kanushu, MP (Uganda) was elected as the CPwD Chairperson at the CPwD Regional Champions meeting held in the margins of the 65th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Halifax, Canada in August 2022. In the same year, the CPwD Chairperson also became an Officer of the Association and a Members of the CPA Executive Committee.

Current CPwD Chairperson's Biography

Hon. Laura Kanushu is a Ugandan lawyer, politician and legislator. She represents people with disabilities in the Parliament of Uganda, where she is a member of the National Resistance Movement (NRM). Her career as a human rights advocate has focused especially for people with disabilities and she is the Executive Director of Legal Action for People with Disabilities (LAPD). She is an Executive Member of the Uganda Women's Parliamentary Association (UWOPA) as the people with disabilities representative.

In the Parliament of Uganda, she is a Member of the Committee on Rules, Privileges and Discipline and she is also a Member of the Gender Labour and Social Development Committee.

CPA Secretary-General

2020-present
Stephen Twigg
CPA Secretary-General
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association hq.sec@cpahq.org
Role of the Secretary-General

The Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association is the Chief Executive Officer of the Association and, in that capacity, administers its affairs and manages the staff of its CPA Headquarters Secretariat.

They are primarily responsible for representing the Association and promoting its aims and objectives; maintaining close links with the CPA Branches and CPA Regions, and providing advice and guidance on their activities and management; acting as Secretary to meetings of the CPA Executive Committee, the General Assembly and the Plenary Conference, and undertaking such other duties as are assigned by the General Assembly, the CPA Executive Committee or its Chairperson.

Current Secretary-General's Biography

Stephen Twigg began his term as the 8th Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) from 1 August 2020.

The CPA Secretary-General, Stephen Twigg is a former UK Parliamentarian, who was previously elected to the Parliament of the United Kingdom as a Member of Parliament from 1997 to 2005 (Enfield Southgate) and from 2010 to 2019 (Liverpool West Derby). During his parliamentary career, he held several senior positions including Chairperson of the International Development Select Committee, Minister for Schools and a range of Shadow Front Bench roles.

Prior to his parliamentary career, Stephen Twigg studied at Balliol College, Oxford University, where he studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics. He became the youngest President of the National Union of Students in 1990-92 and was then elected as a Local Councillor in the London Borough of Islington.

Following the 2019 General Election, Stephen Twigg was instrumental in setting up the International Parliamentary Network for Education and was actively involved in parliamentary strengthening with both Global Partners Governance and the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD).

In July 2023, he became Chair of the Council for Education in the Commonwealth (CEC).

Current Secretary-General's Speeches and Articles

Recent articles for The Parliamentarian:

Former Secretaries-General

Mr Jarvis Matiya, Acting Secretary-General of the CPA, September 2019 to July 2020

Mr Akbar Khan, 7th Secretary-General of the CPA, barrister and former legal adviser, 2016 - 2019

Mr Joe Omorodion, Acting Secretary-General of the CPA, 2014 – 2015

Dr William F. Shija, 6th Secretary-General of the CPA, former Minister and Member of the Tanzania Parliament, 2007 – 2014

Mr Denis Marshall, 5th Secretary-General of the CPA, former Minister and Member of the New Zealand Parliament, 2002 – 2006

Mr Arthur Donahoe, 4th Secretary-General of the CPA, former Speaker of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly, 1993 – 2001

Dr David Tonkin, 3rd Secretary-General of the CPA, former Premier South Australia, 1986 – 1992

Sir Robin Vandervelt, 2nd Secretary-General of the CPA, 1961 – 1985

Sir Howard D’Egville, 1st Secretary-General of the CPA, 1949 - 1960

The CPA International Executive Committee

A full list of Members of the CPA International Executive Committee, including CPA Officers and Regional Representatives
Meet the Executive Committee

Annual Reports

Download our Annual Reports and Performance Reviews

Our latest Annual Report

CPA Annual Report 2023

Find out what the CPA achieved in 2023, including information on programmes, partnerships and finances.

Key Governance Documents

The CPA Constitution

Read the Constitution of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association

Related News

10th CPA India Regional Conference takes place in New Delhi
News

10th CPA India Regional Conference takes place in New Delhi

Commonwealth Parliamentarians discuss the role of Legislatures in promoting sustainable development at 10th CPA India Regional Conference.

International Day of Democracy 2024
News

International Day of Democracy 2024

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Marks UN International Day of Democracy 2024 by highlighting examples of good governance and best practice in our work

Debate between candidates for Commonwealth Secretary-General
News

Debate between candidates for Commonwealth Secretary-General

Ahead of CHOGM 2024, the three candidates for Commonwealth Secretary-General joined an event at Chatham House to share their vision for the future of the Commonwealth.