New South Wales Speaker Visits the Assembly

Lord Elis-Thomas, the National Assembly’s  Presiding Officer, will welcome the Speaker of New South Wales’ Legislative Assembly, the Honourable Richard Torbay when he visits the Senedd on Tuesday 15 and Wednesday 16 April.

The Speaker is visiting whilst on parliamentary business in the UK and Europe.  The link between the Assembly and the New South Wales Parliament is a very close one and complements the memorandum of understanding that exists between the two respective governments.  The most obvious example of the link is the Assembly’s mace, a gift from the New South Wales Parliament to the Assembly to celebrate the Royal opening of the Senedd in March 2006.

Lord Elis-Thomas said “I look forward to welcoming my opposite number from New South Wales to the Senedd.  He will see the Mace resting proudly in the chamber as a symbol to Assembly Members and our many visitors to the public gallery of our constitutional progress and as a reminder of our links with New South Wales and the wider community of parliaments and assemblies across Her Majesty’s Commonwealth.”

The Speaker's visit programme includes meetings with the Presiding Officer and Assembly Members, the First Minister Rhodri Morgan and the Lord of Mayor of Cardiff Councillor Gill Bird.