Wyatt Roy (Longman, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am a passionate supporter of the good work of the minister at the table, who did such great things for Norfolk Island. On behalf of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties I present the committee's Report 147: treaties tabled on 18 June, 24 November, 2 December 2014 and 25 February 2015.

Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e).

by leave—The report contains the committee's views on three proposed treaties: the World Trade Organization protocol amending the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the WTO, including the agreement on trade facilitation; the first protocol to amend the Agreement Establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area; and the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters between Australia and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam.

The WTO agreement on trade facilitation is an important step towards forming and developing a multilateral trade system. It is a significant milestone—the first major agreement concluded since the WTO was established in 1995. The aim of the agreement is to increase transparency and remove red tape relating to customs regulations and procedures across international boundaries. It is estimated that, if the agreement is fully implemented, it could add US$1 trillion to the world economy and create 21 million jobs by cutting trade costs.

It is vitally important for Australian businesses and industry to benefit from this global economy. Despite the hard work being done to remove tariff barriers, it is often the behind-the-scenes, non-tariff barriers that discourage trade participation. Complex paperwork, or the fear that perishable goods will be held up in foreign ports, can stop an Australian business from taking advantage of the opportunities provided by trade agreements. This agreement will make a difference in this regard.

The ASEAN-Australian-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement is Australia's largest free trade agreement, accounting for 18 per cent of our total trade in goods and services, worth $121.6 billion in 2013-14. With a combined population of 650 million people, the parties to this agreement account for $4.1 billion of global GDP. It is important that Australian businesses and industry can make full use of the agreement.

The amendments to the agreement are designed to simplify and harmonise administrative requirements. Again, the paperwork will be simpler and easier to fill out and to comply with. By making trade easier for Australian exporters and importers, the amendments are expected to encourage better use of the agreement.

Mutual assistance treaties develop and strengthen Australia's capacity to fight international crime. Currently Australia is party to 29 such agreements. The treaty on mutual legal assistance between Australia and Vietnam provides for the two countries to exchange information and evidence for investigating or prosecuting serious crimes. It will make sure that criminals cannot evade justice solely because evidence of their criminal activity is located in another country. Vietnam already has a valuable Australian partner in the fight against transnational crime in our region, and this agreement will strengthen that relationship. This agreement will complement existing treaties between the two countries on extradition and transfer of sentenced persons.

The committee supports the ratification of all of these three treaties. On behalf of the committee, I commend the report to the House.

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