An Australian parliamentary delegation, led by President of the Senate Paul Calvert, is currently paying an official visit to Malta.

The delegation, which arrived on Saturday and will be leaving on Wednesday, is composed of Bernie Ripoll MP, deputy leader of the delegation; Ian Causley MP, deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives; Warren Entsch MP; Senator Andrew Murray and Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells.

During their visit, the delegation will be meeting the President of Malta, the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice and Home Affairs, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Leader of the Opposition.

The Australian delegation will also hold meetings with the Foreign and European Affairs Committee and the Malta-Australia Parliamentary Friendship Group, with a view to strengthening ties between the two countries on a parliamentary level, the Malta Enterprise, the Malta Freeport and the Emigrants Commission.

The President of the Senate has a long-standing interest in Malta, while the Australian Parliament is interested in expanding its links with a fellow member of the Commonwealth, particularly at a time when Malta is Chair-in-Office. The Australian Parliament is also interested in obtaining a Mediterranean country’s perspective on European Union matters.