Download - 2012 NZ Student CHOGM Communiqué
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
Head of the Commonwealth
His Excellency Mr Kamalesh Sharma
Secretary-General of the Commonwealth
Hosted by
The Honourable Peter Dunne MP Minister of Revenue
Member of Parliament for Ohariu
Honourary Member of the Royal Commonwealth Society Wellington
New Zealand Student CHOGM Secretariat
Darryl Stevens Conference Director
Royal Commonwealth Society Wellington President
Chloe Oldfield and Aaron Hape Deputy Conference Directors
Victoria Rea and Joshua Ramsay Student CHOGM Secretaries-General
Joel Rowan Adviser to the Secretaries-General Immediate Past Secretary-General
Planning Team Darryl Stevens Chloe Oldfield Aaron Hape
Sandra Ivanov Simon Lynch Esther Kim
Samantha Knott Rhiannon Stannard Sam Regan
Anita Jones Joel Rowan Alex Bengree
Emil Kiroff
Conference Observers The Honourable Judith Collins MP Doctor Sean Palmer
Colonel Paul King Brian Anderton
Richard Cain Barbara Morgan
Suzie Riggs Christian Hermansen
Delegations
Country School Head of
Government
Foreign Minister
Australia Rangitoto College Joseph Foster
Belize Nelson College for Girls Steph Russell Lucy Gray
Canada Chanel College Righan Meehan
Cyprus Darfield High School Calum Gray Andrew Moffatt
Lesotho Timaru Boys High School Dean Jackson Logan Williams
New Zealand Palmerston North Boys
High School
Rhys Judd Caleb Fung
Malawi Rangi Ruru Girls School Brittany Rea Victoria Rea
Malaysia
Palmerston North Boys
High School
Edward Krishna
Papua New Guinea Awatapu College Charlotte Austin James Loads
Swaziland St Kentigern’s College Sam Barclay Ryah Chandler
Sri Lanka Scots College Joshua Ramsay Ash Stanley-Ryan
The Maldives St Kentigern’s College James Gardiner David Liu Trinidad & Tobago Sacred Heart College,
Lower Hutt
Sarah Pereira Olive Tupuivano-
Niutili
Uganda Palmerston North Boys
High School
Martin Girling-
Butcher
Seamus Barnett
United Kingdom St Peter’s School,
Cambridge
William Stone Luther Hare
Special thanks to:
Doctor The Right Honourable Lockwood Smith MP For access to Parliamentary facilities.
The Honourable Judith Collins MP Student CHOGM 2012 keynote speaker
Doctor Sean Palmer Special guest speaker
The Parliamentary Service For provision of equipment.
Epicure Catering For facilities setup and catering services.
Lithoprint Wellington
Overview
The 31st Student CHOGM
n 10 and 11 September, the Royal Commonwealth Society Wellington celebrated
the thirty-first anniversary of the National Student Commonwealth Heads of
Government Meeting, or simply, Student CHOGM.
This annual conference is held in the Legislative Council Chamber of Parliament Buildings in
Wellington. Year 12 and 13 students from around New Zealand are invited to attend the
two day conference, taking on the roles of Head of Government or Foreign Affairs Minister,
representing one of fifty-four Commonwealth member states. Student CHOGM is modelled
on the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
Students can also apply for the
position of Secretary-General, who presides over the debate
between their peers during the
conference. They are assisted by
their adviser and members of the
Student CHOGM Secretariat.
Media delegates and
representatives of other non-
government organisations are
also present as observers.
Previous themes for Student
CHOGMs include “The
Commonwealth at 60, Serving a
New Generation”, “Science,
Technology and Society”, “The
Environment - Our Future”, and “Women as Agents of Change”. These topics are adapted
from the Commonwealth Day theme and announced by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
This year’s theme was “Connecting Cultures – Celebrating Our Commonwealth”.
This year, delegates discussed topics across six plenary sessions, as well as participated in a
group discussion around The Queen’s role as Head of the Commonwealth, led by Monarchy
New Zealand Chair, Dr Sean Palmer. Delegates also heard from The Honourable Judith
Collins as she explained her role as Minister for Ethnic Affairs, and what the Office of Ethnic
Affairs does in New Zealand.
In a unique Crisis Session, delegates worked inside the Commonwealth Ministerial Action
Group (CMAG) model to identify a strategy in respect to dealing with a religious conflict
between two fictitious countries.
The following is an account of all these events, and the end resolutions detail how delegates sought to rectify and solve the different problems with which they were faced.
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Delegates vote on issues using their country’s flag. 15
countries were represented at this year’s Meeting.
Plenary Session One
Urgent Debate on Asylum Seekers
elegates were immediately thrown into the deep end when the Student CHOGM
Secretariat called for an urgent debate on asylum seekers travelling to Australia
from Sri Lanka. The chair, recognising the plight of those seeking safe haven in
countries such as Australia and New Zealand stressed the urgency and importance that the
debate must take.
The Australian delegate was the first to
recognise, not only the threat that those
asylum seekers faced, but also the threat
that his country has had to deal with over
the years, in terms of rehabilitating,
housing and educating asylum seekers that
were deemed fit by the Australian
Government to stay in their country.
With this in mind, it was his opinion that
the asylum seekers would be given
medical aid and nourishment but they
would then have to return to their
country of origin. The Malaysian
delegation agreed with this statement;
however the New Zealand, Canadian,
Papua New Guinean and Sri Lankan delegations took a different view; that the refugees should be housed in Australia and neighbouring countries until all necessary action could be
taken to accommodate them in a safer environment than the one from which they had fled.
After robust debate, a resolution was passed, stating that Australia would provide
immediate humanitarian assistance and rescue the refugees, using the Royal Australian Navy.
Australia would then provide temporary asylum until the status of the asylum seekers could
be assessed. If they did not meet certain criteria, they would be returned to Sri Lanka.
Plenary Session Two
The World
rior to the CHOGM,
delegations submitted three
issues each to the Secretariat.
They were asked to condense
these into a one-minute speech and
present their issues in this session.
While presentations were being
made, it fell to delegates to find
commonalities with others and to
start working toward resolutions to
which they could agree.
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Australian Head of Government, Joseph Foster,
addresses the Meeting on the issue of immigration.
Alex Bengree, Joshua Ramsay and Chloe Oldfield chair the
second plenary session. Christian Hermansen acts as a
media observer.
The United Kingdom delegation
noted that their country has
currently been reassessing how it
contributes to the fight against
HIV/AIDS in Africa, especially in
respect to the work being carried
out by the UK Department of
International Development. They
noted that that in order for
nations to pull themselves out of
the depths of recession that they
would have to increase trade and
lower tariffs. Finally, they noted
the changing face of security in the
modern world, citing how well
the London Olympic Games was secured and how imminent
threats were neutralised quickly, if there were any at all.
The delegation from Lesotho put forward its main issues: the county’s high rate of child
labour, and its high rate of HIV/AIDS infection. They argued that as an African country,
Lesotho is lucky to not be facing the problems that a majority of the African countries are;
such as civil unrest and rebellions, political instability, or famine.
Australia proposed that all Commonwealth countries fix their currency, but this was met
with opposition from every other country.
A resolution from Swaziland, proposing that a medical taskforce be set up to teach less well-
off countries how to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, was passed, however the amendment
that the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand contribute 5% of their GDP to the
initiative failed.
The Maldives pleaded the Commonwealth to invest in sustainable energy. The resolution for
all members to input 0.5% of their GDP to research sustainable energy over the next 10
years was passed unanimously.
Plenary Session Three
The Retreat
odelled on the post-
CHOGM leaders retreat,
delegates were formed
into three groups and
were asked to discuss what the
Commonwealth could do in the
realms of health, sustainable
development and the
preservation of culture.
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Sam Barclay, Swaziland Head of Government, speaks to his
motion that the Commonwealth set up a medical taskforce.
Delegates discuss the issue of sustainable development.
A resolution urged the
development of wide spread
education of health issues, and to
ask Commonwealth members to
aid in the prevention of the
spread of HIV/AIDS, was
unanimously passed. This
resolution, proposed by Malawi,
had a particular focus on rural
areas in Africa.
The CHOGM then discussed the
enrichment and preservation of
culture. The delegates from
Uganda proposed that the
Commonwealth create a fund
which selects young people from different countries and pay for
their exchanges to different
countries. This resolution was passed, along with a resolution that Commonwealth nations
accept different cultures within their societies and to treat them fairly.
Finally, a resolution put forward by The Maldives to implement more efficient research into
water distillation for developing nations was passed. This was to aid in the developing water
shortage occurring in Africa and the Asian region.
Plenary Session Four
Crisis Session
Again, delegates were faced
with a snap debate on an
urgent issue – this time,
religious conflict between
the fictitious countries of
the Kanto Islands and the
Republic of Jhoto. Jhoto had
sent forces into the Kanto
Islands in order to expand
their faith, but under the
false pretence that violent
uprising was about to grip
the country.
Immediately, a motion was
put forward to suspend Jhoto indefinitely from the Commonwealth, however, interestingly,
it was not passed. The rationale behind this was that there should be open and frank
dialogue instead of shutting Jhoto out talks to avoid another situation like the one that
currently exists in Fiji. A peacekeeping force was sanctioned by the Commonwealth in
order to aid those in Kanto, and a resolution was passed, stipulating that Jhoto must
withdraw its troops immediately.
Ugandan Foreign Minister, Seamus Barnett, speaks on the issue
of preservation of culture.
A resolution proposing military force in Kanto was wholly rejected by
the CHOGM.
Plenary Session Five
Electoral Processes and Good Governance
he intention of this plenary session was to come up with ideas around the issue of
good governance in respect to elections, and with a special spotlight on The Maldives
and Papua New Guinea, given their recent internal political struggles.
A resolution detailing that gender and ethnic equality become two of the most important
issues facing the Commonwealth, and that more be done to promote the these issues, was
passed unanimously.
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Message of Congratulations to
Her Majesty The Queen
May it please Your Majesty.
We, senior high school students of New Zealand, assembled at Parliament
Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand, for the Royal Commonwealth Society’s 31st
annual national Student Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, would all
like to pass on our sincere congratulations on the occasion of your Diamond Jubilee.
We thank you, not only for your service to the Commonwealth, but also for the
service you have rendered to the people of New Zealand as their Queen. We also
thank you and acknowledge your interest in young people in all Commonwealth
countries and ensuring that our voice is heard.
We also recognise your importance as a figurehead for women as agents of change
and the role you have played in advancing the role of women in leadership positions
across the globe.
We wish you continued good health and all our best wishes go to you and your family in your Diamond Jubilee Year.
Signed,
New Zealand Student CHOGM delegates, Secretariat members and official
observers.
Plenary Session Six
Future Membership of the
Commonwealth
elegates were asked to assess the applications of
Yemen, Sudan, South Sudan, Madagascar and
Algeria to join the Commonwealth.
Delegates were informed of the updated criteria set in
the 2007 Kampala Communiqué that state what an
applicant state must do in order to be considered for
membership. It was noted that Rwanda was admitted to
join the Commonwealth in 2009 after it was deemed to
have fulfilled the criteria.
Delegates ably assessed each country against the six
criteria, and deemed that none of them fulfilled all of the
six criteria. Ergo, they decided to not admit any new
members.
Other events
n the first night of the conference, Minister Dunne
hosted a state dinner in the
Banquet Hall of Parliament. Minister
for Ethnic Affairs, The Honourable
Judith Collins, gave the keynote
address of the CHOGM. In this, she
discussed her work in her portfolio,
and also the great work that the
Office of Ethnic Affairs does all
around New Zealand.
ay two brought with it a
well-loved event – the
annual morning tea with the
Commonwealth diplomatic corps
members. High Commissioners or
representatives posted to New Zealand from those countries represented at the Student
CHOGM were invited to meet their younger counterparts. The British High Commissioner,
Victoria Treadall, Deputy Head of Mission for Malaysia, James Koh and Australian Second
Secretary, Genevieve Beirne were all in attendance. They imparted their wealth of
knowledge and also inspired the students with stories of their encounters and missions in
the field of foreign relations.
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The Head of Government of
Malawi, Brittany Rea, discusses
future Commonwealth
membership.
The British High Commissioner, Her Excellency Mrs Victoria
Treadell, CMG, MVO, meets with members of the Student
CHOGM Secretariat.
ress conferences were held on
both days. Questions were devised
by media delegates, Christian
Hermansen and Brian Anderton, as well
as the Student CHOGM Secretariat,
teachers and observers in the audience.
The questions ranged from asking the
Swazi delegates if they thought their
country was doing enough to combat
HIV/AIDS, to asking the Australian
delegate if his proposal for
Commonwealth countries to fix their
currency would actually contribute to
any decent and worthwhile monetary
reforms.
his year’s Commonwealth Quiz was won by Seamus Barnett of Palmerston North
Boys’ High School. For his effort, he was awarded a House of Representatives neck
tie.
5th Commonwealth Youth Parliament
tudent CHOGM Deputy Director, Chloe
Oldfield, has been selected to represent
New Zealand at the 5th Commonwealth
Youth Parliament in London. Also representing
New Zealand will be Max Harris, a Wellington
based law graduate. This year’s conference is the
fifth time the Parliament has been convened and is
being held in the first week of December.
The main theme of the conference is the issue of
governance. There will also be a celebration of
The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Chloe has also
elected to speak on why the report of the Eminent Person’s Group should be adopted by
the Commonwealth.
Commonwealth Youth Parliamentarians will be
lucky enough to debate in both the House of
Commons and the House of Lords for two days.
On the third day, they will form select
committees and hear submissions on an issue that
is yet to be decided.
Chloe will report back to the Student CHOGM
Secretariat when she returns from the UK, and
will present her report at the 32nd Student
CHOGM to be held next year.
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Rhys Judd, New Zealand Head of Government, listens
to debates.
The Honourable Judith Collins MP, Minister for
Ethnic Affairs, delivers her keynote address.