New Zealand Parliamentarians on Population and Development

The New Zealand Parliamentarians on Population and Development is a member committee of the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development and the Pacific Legislatures for Population and Governance.

About

The New Zealand Parliamentarians’ Group on Population and Development (NZPPD) provides a forum for New Zealand parliamentarians to engage and act on international population and development issues. The NZPPD is a cross party group, with currently 42 members representing just under 40 percent of all New Zealand MPs. The group is an active part of Parliamentary life in New Zealand. The NZPPD was established in 1998 to further the achievement of the Programme of Action developed at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). The group does this by:

• increasing investment and prioritisation of population and development issues at the policy, resource, and activity level
• creating awareness of the important role parliamentarians can play on population and development issues nationally and internationally.

The group was established under the Chair of the Hon. Katherine O’Regan (Member of New Zealand Parliament 1984 – 1999 and NZPPD Chair 1998 – 1999).

Family Planning International receives funding from UNFPA to provide Secretariat services for the NZPPD.

Members

Leadership:

• Labour Party MP Steve Chadwick has served as chairperson and vice-chairperson of the organisation.
• As at April 2008, Joanna Spratt worked as the manager for the organisation.
• Jackie Blue, Chair (as at Nov. 2009)

As at November 2009, the following NZ members of Parliament were members of NZPPD:

• Hon Heather Roy
• Catherine Delahunty
• Kevin Hague
• Sue Kedgley
• Keith Locke
• Metiria Turei
• Hon Lianne Dalziel
• Clare Curran
• Hon Parekura Horomia
• Rick Barker
• Carol Beaumont
• Charles Chauvel
• Ashraf Choudhary
• Darien Fenton
• Moana Mackey
• Lynne Pillay
• Rajen Prasad
• Hon Maryan Street
• Phil Twyford
• Su'a William Sio
• Ross Robertson
• Hon George Hawkins
• Iain Lees-Galloway
• Hon Ruth Dyson
• Chris Hipkins
• Grant Robertson
• Hon Anne Tolley
• Hon Murray McCully
• Dr. Paul Hutchison
• Hon Georgina te Heuheu
• Nicky Wagner
• Shane Ardern
• John Hayes
• Jacinda Ardern
• Kelvin Davis
• Carmel Sepuloni
• Katrina Shanks
• Sue Moroney
• Tim Macindoe
• Dr. Cam Calder

Associate Member: Hon. Katherine O'Regan

Open Hearing into Maternal Health in the Pacific

The Open Hearing into Maternal Health in the Pacific was held on Sept. 21, 2009 in Wellington, New Zealand. The hearing was hosted by New Zealand Parliamentarians on Population and Development.

Modelled like a one-day select committee meeting, 13 New Zealand parliamentarians from across the political spectrum, joined by Australian and PNG colleagues, heard submissions from a range of regional organisations and professionals working to improve maternal health in the Pacific. Reproductive health professionals from the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Kiribati, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Samoa and the Solomon Islands had spent the weekend prior to the Open Hearing preparing their submissions.

The NZPPD secretariat, Family Planning International wrote the report and action plan "for NZPPD to drive forward in 2010."

Participants

The following attended the hearing:

• Sulueti Duvaga, Midwife, Fiji
• Jennifer Pyakalyia, Midwife, Papua New Guinea
• Dr. Junilyn Pikacha, Director of 
Reproductive and Child Health Division of Ministry of Health, Solomon Islands
• Kathleen Capirongo, Midwife, Solomon Islands
• Dr. Gunzee Cawin, Obstetrician Gynaecologist, Papua
New Guinea
• Vani Dulaki, Senior Programme Officer International Planned Parenthood Federation Sub-Regional Office for the Pacific
• Roote Tong, Safe Motherhood Coordinator, 
Kiribati
• Pelenatete Stowers, Assistant Chief Executive Officer, Ministry of Health, Samoa
• Bernolina Hedson, Nurse Midwife, Federated States of Micronesia.
• Catherine Delahunty, Green Party NZ Member of NZ Parliament