The Commonwealth Conversation

New Zealand writer Emily Perkins recalls her childhood thoughts on the Commonwealth.

With member countries like Bangladesh, Tuvalu and the Maldives on the front-line against rising sea-levels, the Commonwealth should be a loud and respected activist on environmental issues.

Most of the countries of the Commonwealth still criminalize sexual acts between consenting adults of the same sex. This needs to change says Joel Simpson, Co-Chairperson of Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination.

The possibility of a rotating Head has been floated. The opinion polls showed most people in India as many as 50 per cent – favoured that solution. But rotation could create real problems because it would politicise the position. Occasionally a Mandela figure might be available, but such people are a rarity.