Australian parliamentarian delivers seminar on effective oversight
Australian parliamentarian delivers seminar on effective oversight for National Assembly and Senate
Sharing experiences on institutional checks and balances
PHNOM PENH, 2 SEPT 2009: From Canberra to Cambodia, a key role of any parliament is to oversee the work of the rest of the government to ensure that laws are upheld, budgets spent transparently, and ensure problems in the executive branch are investigated on behalf of constituents.
Sharing experiences on institutional checks and balances
PHNOM PENH, 2 SEPT 2009: From Canberra to Cambodia, a key role of any parliament is to oversee the work of the rest of the government to ensure that laws are upheld, budgets spent transparently, and ensure problems in the executive branch are investigated on behalf of constituents.
This was the message Dr Brendan Nelson, MP, Australian House of Representatives, shared with the Cambodian parliament today during a seminar on effective oversight techniques.
The Hon. Dr. Brendan Nelson, and Mr. Ian Harris, Clerk to the Australian House of Representatives , made a special visit to the National Assembly to deliver the two-day seminar to members of the upper and lower Houses of the Cambodian Parliament.
“There has been much political theory written about parliamentary oversight. However, there is no substitute for the practical benefit of parliamentary deputies exchanging views with other parliamentary deputies,” Dr Nelson said.
The seminar, organised by the parliament’s Technical Coordination Secretariat with support from UNDP, was an opportunity for members of the National Assembly and the Senate to learn from the experiences of another government’s decision makers.
Parliamentary oversight is a key responsibility of every government. It includes processes such as debates on legislation, budget decision-making, parliamentary question time and parliamentary committees. Through these processes, a government is held accountable for its decisions to its citizens, and ensures that government policy and action are both efficient and commensurate with the needs of the public. It is an essential check-and-balance mechanism.
“As the body that represents the people, parliament is called upon to see to it that the administration of public policy reflects and meets the people’s needs. Parliament is also called upon to ensure that agreed policy is properly implemented and delivered to target citizens,” UNDP Deputy Country Director Ismael Toorawa said.
The seminar included sessions on accountability, the role of parliamentary committees, oversight and the Executive and budget approval. It also examined the important role played by external oversight institutions, such as Ombudspersons, Human Rights Commissions, Anti-Corruption Commissions, the Auditor General's Office and the media.
UNDP has supported the TCS in organizing earlier parliamentary information sessions on key issues affecting Cambodia, including the economic crisis, land disputes, Millennium Development Goals, Cambodian competitiveness, human trafficking, HIV/AIDS, human rights, budget analysis, decentralization, domestic violence and drug use.
For further information please contact:
Aimee Brown, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 012 760 513
Munthit Ker, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 011 905 261
The Hon. Dr. Brendan Nelson, and Mr. Ian Harris, Clerk to the Australian House of Representatives , made a special visit to the National Assembly to deliver the two-day seminar to members of the upper and lower Houses of the Cambodian Parliament.
“There has been much political theory written about parliamentary oversight. However, there is no substitute for the practical benefit of parliamentary deputies exchanging views with other parliamentary deputies,” Dr Nelson said.
The seminar, organised by the parliament’s Technical Coordination Secretariat with support from UNDP, was an opportunity for members of the National Assembly and the Senate to learn from the experiences of another government’s decision makers.
Parliamentary oversight is a key responsibility of every government. It includes processes such as debates on legislation, budget decision-making, parliamentary question time and parliamentary committees. Through these processes, a government is held accountable for its decisions to its citizens, and ensures that government policy and action are both efficient and commensurate with the needs of the public. It is an essential check-and-balance mechanism.
“As the body that represents the people, parliament is called upon to see to it that the administration of public policy reflects and meets the people’s needs. Parliament is also called upon to ensure that agreed policy is properly implemented and delivered to target citizens,” UNDP Deputy Country Director Ismael Toorawa said.
The seminar included sessions on accountability, the role of parliamentary committees, oversight and the Executive and budget approval. It also examined the important role played by external oversight institutions, such as Ombudspersons, Human Rights Commissions, Anti-Corruption Commissions, the Auditor General's Office and the media.
UNDP has supported the TCS in organizing earlier parliamentary information sessions on key issues affecting Cambodia, including the economic crisis, land disputes, Millennium Development Goals, Cambodian competitiveness, human trafficking, HIV/AIDS, human rights, budget analysis, decentralization, domestic violence and drug use.
For further information please contact:
Aimee Brown, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 012 760 513
Munthit Ker, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 011 905 261
- Related topics: Democratic Governance
Last updated: 20 August 2010
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