Member (Melissa PARKE) | Asia-Pacific Leadership Network

Members

The Asia-Pacific Leadership Network (APLN) has over 180 members from 26 countries across Asia and the Pacific, consisting of former political, diplomatic and military leaders, senior government officials, and scholars and opinion leaders, dedicated to addressing security challenges in the Asia-Pacific, with a particular focus on nuclear non-proliferation, risk reduction, and disarmament.

Melissa PARKE

Executive Director, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons

The Hon Melissa Parke from Perth, Western Australia, is the Executive Director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, and a former Minister for International Development and former federal member for Fremantle (2007-2016).

Prior to entering the Australian parliament Melissa served as an international lawyer with the United Nations in Kosovo, Gaza, New York and Lebanon (1999-2007).

Following her retirement from parliament, Melissa served for 4 years (2017-2021) as a member of the UN Group of Eminent Experts on Yemen for the UN Human Rights Council, investigating violations of international law committed by parties to the conflict in Yemen.

Melissa has been an Ambassador for ICAN (International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons) Australia since 2017.