Parliament grapples with staff exodus
Eight resignations and 21 vacancies raise concerns over institutional knowledge and continuity.
Monday 09 November 2026 | 16:00
Members of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence with representatives from Parliament on October 19, 2026.
Photo: Parliament of Fiji
Eight resignations, 21 vacant positions and a workforce where 30 per cent of staff are aged 50 or older.
These figures underpin the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence’s concerns about staff turnover in Parliament.
The committee said it “remains concerned about the impact of workforce turnover on institutional knowledge, succession and organisational continuity”.
Related stories
Exit interviews identified higher pay, better career opportunities and overseas migration as the main reasons staff were leaving.
Only seven per cent of staff are aged between 20 and 29.
Parliament Secretary-General Jeanette Emberson said staff were leaving because they were highly skilled.
“They all went on promotions,” she said, adding that Parliament “cannot keep up with what the market is offering them”.
The exit survey also showed that a small number of respondents raised concerns about bullying, harassment and discrimination. However, the survey found no evidence of specific incidents.
Vacancies affected Committee Services, Hansard, Research and Library Services, and Civic Education and Media. The committee said this had resulted in heavier workloads and more acting arrangements.
The Research Unit had three research officers and one librarian, with one officer on study leave. It now has four officers and one librarian.
The committee found that researchers were “largely generalists” and that greater investment was needed to develop specialist skills.
Women in Parliament
Women made up 61 per cent of Secretariat staff and half of senior executive positions. However, only nine per cent of MPs were women.
The committee wants Parliament to continue implementing its Strategic Workforce Plan and Succession Plan.
