The Parliamentarian: The Journal of Commonwealth Parliaments
The Parliamentarian

The Parliamentarian - Journal of Commonwealth Parliaments

About The Parliamentarian

The Parliamentarian, published quarterly by the CPA Headquarters Secretariat, contains articles, analyses and bibliographical information on parliamentary, political and constitutional developments written by Speakers, Ministers, Members of Parliament and parliamentary officials involved in the issues.

The Parliamentarian is the quarterly journal of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, the Journal of Commonwealth Parliaments. The magazine contains feature articles written by Members of Parliament, renowned academic experts and parliamentary staff that are written for their colleagues on current issues that affect the international parliamentary community and to share their experience and expertise across the Commonwealth. The publication also features parliamentary reports on legislative affairs, news and updates from across the CPA. 

The Parliamentarian is distributed to around 17,000 Members of Parliament, parliamentary staff and individual subscribers across the Commonwealth and international organisations. For individual subscriptions please email editor@cpahq.org or contact the CPA Headquarters Secretariat to purchase a copy of the latest issue.  

Out now! The Parliamentarian 2024 Issue One

Latest Issue:

The Parliamentarian: 2024 Issue One: Artificial Intelligence, disinformation and Parliament:

This digital issue of The Parliamentarian examines the challenges that Artificial Intelligence, disinformation and synthetic media are creating for democracy in the Commonwealth and how Parliaments can face these challenges.

This issue brings together Parliamentarians and global tech experts to explain what synthetic disinformation is and how AI is threatening our democracies. Articles also highlight the impact of AI on elections and gender equality.

This issue also features youth engagement and Parliaments with perspectives from Samoa, Victoria and ACT; managing debate and unparliamentary language in Parliament (case studies from Australia and Canada); new developments in enhancing human rights protections from Cyprus; Commonwealth Local Climate Action – outcomes from Kigali and Dubai; and the challenges of online visibility for Women Parliamentarians with a perspective from Tanzania.

To read this issue, download a copy here or view on our online reading platform, click here->

The Parliamentarian Archives

The CPA Headquarters Secretariat holds physical archives of The Parliamentarian, first published in 1920, at its London offices.

Please click here to view the digital archives of The Parliamentarian.

Over the years, supplements to The Parliamentarian have featured the host Branches for the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference and the CPA Executive Committee Meetings, showcasing their Parliaments and political life. Please click here to view the archives of Branch Profiles published in The Parliamentarian.

Editorial Advisory Board

The role of the Editorial Advisory Board for The Parliamentarian, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s flagship quarterly publication and the Journal of Commonwealth Parliaments is to:

  • review and feedback on content and articles;
  • propose themes and topics for future issues;
  • contribute articles;
  • to assist with sourcing new contributors for The Parliamentarian.

The Editorial Advisory Board members are also able to propose new ideas for the promotion and future direction of The Parliamentarian for the benefit of the CPA and its Members. Members of the Editorial Advisory Board are able to contribute articles and news content for consideration by the Editor for inclusion in The Parliamentarian and they are also encouraged to use their own networks to assist the publication in sourcing new contributors and articles.

The Editorial Advisory Board consults its members several times a year with forthcoming themes and topics, proposed copy deadlines and suggested contributors. Additional consultations may be held at the specific request of the Secretary-General or the Editor. 

For further information about the work of the Editorial Advisory Board for The Parliamentarian or to find out how to apply for future positions on the board please contact the Editor via email editor@cpahq.org.

 

Editorial Advisory Board for The Parliamentarian
Members (1 July 2022-30 June 2023)  

Africa Region:
• Mr Aaron Mwewa, Deputy Chief Hansard Editor at the National Assembly of Zambia – 2-year term (2021-2023). 
• Youth representative – awaiting nomination – 2-year term (2021-2023).

Asia Region:
• Awaiting nomination - 2-year term (2022-2024). 
• Youth representative – Mr Danish Ali Bhutto (Pakistan) - Parliamentary Researcher, youth civic engagement programme manager and former Commonwealth Youth Parliamentarian - 2-year term (2021-2023).

Australia Region:
• Hon. Dr Ken Coghill, former Speaker and Member of Parliament of Victoria (1979-96) and Professor, Monash University (1996-2018) and Swinburne University (2018 to present) - 2-year term (2022-2024). 
• Youth representative – Kaelee Aboud, Adviser to the Cabinet Secretary, New South Wales - 2-year term (2021-2023).

British Islands and Mediterranean Region:
• Mr Carl Wright, Secretary-General Emeritus, Commonwealth Local Government Forum – 2-year term (2021-2023). 
• Youth representative – Ms Khadijah Khatun (United Kingdom) - Communications Officer in the House of Lords/UK Parliament and former Commonwealth Youth Parliamentarian - 2-year term (2021-2023).

Canada Region:

• Ms Audrey O’Brien, Former Clerk, Canada Federal Parliament – 2-year term (2021-2023).
• Youth representative – Mr Artour Sogomonian, Procedural Clerk, Legislative Assembly of British Columbia - 2-year term (2020-2022).

Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic Region:
• Awaiting nomination - 2-year term (2022-2024). 
• Youth representative – awaiting nomination - 2-year term (2022-2024).

India Region:
• Shri Atul Jain, General Secretary, Deendayal Research Institute (DRI), New Delhi - 2-year term (2021-2023). 
• Youth representative – awaiting nomination - 2-year term (2022-2024).

Pacific Region:
• Awaiting nomination - 2-year term (2022-2024). 
• Youth representative – awaiting nomination – 2-year term (2021-2023).

South-East Asia Region:
• Awaiting replacement nomination – 2-year term (2022-2024).
• Youth representative – awaiting nomination - 2-year term (2022-2024).

Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP):
• CWP Vice-Chairperson – Hon. Valerie Woods, MP, Speaker of the National Assembly of Belize - 1-year term (2021-2022).

Additional Members:
There are currently no additional member(s) of the board.

Ex-Officio Members:
• Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Mr Stephen Twigg
• Editor of The Parliamentarian, Mr Jeffrey Hyland 

The composition of the Editorial Advisory Board is:

  • Nine members of the Editorial Advisory Board from each of the nine regions of the CPA
  • Nine youth representatives on the Editorial Advisory Board from each of the nine regions of the CPA
  • 1 representative for the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP)
  • Additional Members can be appointed to represent Commonwealth eminent persons and other specialist areas – up to three additional Members. 
  • Two members from the CPA Headquarters Secretariat (Ex-officio)

Updated 11/10/2022/CPAHQ.

History of The Parliamentarian

In January 1920, the ‘Journal of Parliaments of the Empire’ was first published as the record of the debates and activities of the Parliaments of the Association, published four times a year.

In 1949, when the London declaration formed the ‘modern’ Commonwealth, the publication became the ‘Journal of the Parliaments of the Commonwealth’.

In 1966, the journal became The Parliamentarian as the established publication of the Association.

The quarterly journal underwent a transition from a summary of debates in Commonwealth Parliaments to become a record of advances in democratic governance and a forum for the sharing of best practice. At the same time, the CPA would take on the professional development role, not just for new Parliamentarians in emerging Assemblies, but for all Parliamentarians throughout the Commonwealth. By helping Parliamentarians and parliamentary officials to enhance their knowledge of the many different ways in which their institution operates throughout the Commonwealth, to understand diverse perspectives on political issues and to realize that they are not alone in the practice of their professions, the CPA has contributed to the improvement of governance throughout the Commonwealth.

Over the years, supplements to The Parliamentarian have featured the host Branches for the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference and the CPA Executive Committee Meetings, showcasing their Parliaments and political life. The Parliamentarian features regular columns by the CPA Chairperson, the CPA Small Branches Chairperson, the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Chairperson and the CPA Secretary-General to highlight the work of the CPA and its networks.

Today, The Parliamentarian continues to be published for the benefit of the Association, reaching around 17,000 Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff in the CPA’s 180 Parliaments and Legislatures in both print and digital format. Subscribers also include academia interested in political science, research libraries and global organisations.

Between 1966 and 1984, The Parliamentarian was published as a book format. Regular features at the time included the architectural plans for new Parliament Buildings in Commonwealth jurisdictions.

In 1984, the magazine format for The Parliamentarian was first launched (Volume LXV: Issue 3). The first magazine design for The Parliamentarian ran from 1984 to 1998. The second magazine design for The Parliamentarian ran from 1999 to 2008. The third magazine design for The Parliamentarian ran from 2009 to 2019.

In January 2020, the CPA marked the 100th anniversary issue of the first publishing of the journal in January 1920 (Volume 1 Issue One).

The Parliamentarian supplement: Commonwealth Parliamentary tributes to the CPA Patron

The Parliamentarian supplement: Commonwealth Parliamentary tributes to the CPA Patron

A special supplement paying tribute to the CPA Patron, Queen Elizabeth II, featuring some of the many parliamentary tributes from across the Commonwealth as well as reflections on her life and legacy as Head of the Commonwealth can be found with this issue of The Parliamentarian.

This supplement also features a tribute by the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Rt Hon. Patricia Scotland, KC and the former CPA Secretary-General and Speaker of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly, Hon. Arthur Donahoe.

To read this special supplement please click here, or view on our online reading platform, click here ->

Meet the CPA HQ Communications team

Contact us if you'd like to know more about The Parliamentarian
Jeffrey Hyland
Editor of The Parliamentarian and Communications Manager
CPA Headquarters Secretariat editor@cpahq.org
Vacant
Communications Officer
CPA Headquarters Secretariat communications@cpahq.org