Parliament adjourns for 19 July – overseas engagements and parliament to host Conference reasons for special adjournment

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has called for a Special Adjournment of parliament to allow the government to travel abroad especially to China. On Monday 26 June, parliament briefly resumed only to adjourn again for 19 July 2023. The reasons are for the government to travel to China and for parliament to host the 52nd Pacific Presiding Officers and Clerks Conference. The Conference is an opportunity for Australian and Pacific Parliaments to discuss ways to strengthen democratic norms and practices across the region. Sogavare says he also takes into consideration the concerns raised on the time needed to deliberate on important Bills now before parliament. The Opposition Leader, Matthew Wale and the Chairman of the Bills and Legislation Committee, John Maneniaru have both raised concerns on the limited time allocated for the Committee to deliberate on Bills now before parliament. The Bills and Legislation Committee since the special adjournment of parliament on Monday have completed enquiries into the Citizenship Amendment Bill (2023). The Bill is now ready for debate in parliament. The Prime Minister and his delegation have recently returned from Saudi Arabia and South Korea. The trip to China is presumably for the opening of the new Embassy Office. The government is yet to announce the new Ambassador for China following the death of the late Ambassador, Moffat Fugui in Beijing in December 2022.