Newly elected members of the Western Australian Parliament recently took part in a training program aimed at supporting their transition into public office. The sessions focused on providing practical guidance and insights into the responsibilities of parliamentary life, with an emphasis on relevance and responsiveness to participants’ needs.

Delivered by the McKinnon Institute in collaboration with the WA Parliament, the program builds on from similar programs that MKI has delivered to new MPs in the New South Wales, Queensland and Commonwealth parliaments, in line with its commitment to helping MPs better serve their constituencies.

The program was designed to complement existing induction training and focused on equipping participants with practical tools and insights to support their transition into public office.

It included a one-day in-person session for Lower House members on March 31 and two live online modules for Upper House members on April 28 and 29, following the finalisation of vote tallies. Topics covered included the institutional context of parliament, the role of a member, strategies for resilience and performance, and guidance on writing and delivering inaugural speeches.

MKI worked closely with parliamentary staff to ensure the content was relevant and responsive to the unique needs of new members. This collaborative approach enabled facilitators and presenters to tailor their sessions.

Feedback collected from participants after the session indicated that they particularly valued the module on crafting their first speech, noting its practical relevance and the confidence it gave them in preparing for a key parliamentary milestone.

Led by Program Facilitator Darren Disney and Program Manager Mariana Carvalho, the program featured expert contributions from Anne Tiernan, Gemma Henderson, Emma Laing, James Button, and Paul Ritchie.