Source : Perth Now news
An all-female delegation from East Timor has visited Canberra and made history by sitting on the floor of Parliament House.
House of Representatives Speaker Milton Dick extended a warm welcome to the delegation on Wednesday.
“[It’s] the first time a president of the assembly has ever sat on the floor of our parliament,” Mr Dick said during Question Time.
Maria Fernanda Lay in 2023 became the first woman to hold the role of speaker in in the national parliament of East Timor.
Ms Lay led the delegation and met with Senate President Sue Lines after sitting in on Question Time in the upper house.
Senator Lines said it was an honour to welcome the representatives to Canberra.
“Australia and Timor-Leste share a long history, with deep respect and friendship between our peoples,” Senator Lines said in a statement.
“This is the first time an all-women parliamentary delegation has been invited as a guest of the Australian parliament, following an all-women Australian parliamentary delegation to Timor-Leste earlier this year.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited the capital of Dili in January to sign the Parseria joint declaration and address the East Timorese parliament.
