Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, I present the committee's report 231, Pacific resilience and sport manipulation treaties.

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

by leave—I rise today to make a short statement on the report of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties regarding two major treaty actions: the agreement to establish the Pacific Resilience Facility; and the Council of Europe Convention on the Manipulation of Sport Competitions. The report also contains one minor treaty action—an amendment to annex 1 of the International Convention against Doping in Sport.

The Pacific Resilience Facility agreement is a significant treaty aimed at building climate resilience in the Pacific through regional cooperation. The Pacific Resilience Facility, a concept birthed and developed through the Pacific Islands Forum, will be an international organisation that manages and distributes funding. The facility's capital will come through pledges from donations from both member parties and non-Pacific nations, with Australia already having pledged $100 million.

During the process of the inquiry, the committee investigated the facility's funding mechanisms, interactions with non-Pacific nations, operations and governance structure. The committee found that the agreement provided sound and comprehensive basis for the effective operation of the facility. Importantly, the committee identified a consistent and central theme throughout the deliberations—that is, that the Pacific Resilience Facility is a mechanism designed, implemented and led by the Pacific itself. Australia, as a founding member of the Pacific Islands Forum, has long demonstrated its commitment to supporting a prosperous and resilient region. By ratifying this agreement, Australia will continue to uphold its commitment to strengthen its support initiatives for the projects that are driven and directed through Pacific partners.

The Convention on the Manipulation of Sport Competitions establishes a framework for nations to collaborate with sports organisations and betting providers to detect, prevent and prosecute manipulation of sports matches. The convention is currently the only legally binding treaty designed for stopping the manipulation of sports competition. Across the inquiry, the committee held two public hearings and heard from various stakeholders—39, in fact. But I was disappointed that the Alliance for Gambling Reform chose not to participate.

The committee heard from Sports Integrity Australia about Australia's efforts to strengthen existing legislation and regulation since signing the convention in 2019. This included the establishment of the national sports integrity offences, which aim to work alongside existing state and territory laws to create a harmonised national approach to criminalising and prosecuting match-fixing and the manipulation of local sports competitions. The committee also heard how Sports Integrity Australia is collaborating with other nations, as part of the convention, to further strengthen global sports integrity efforts.

Throughout the inquiry, the committee heard about the key role Australia plays as a leader in sports integrity globally. Ratifying the convention will enable Australia to continue to lead the fight against sports manipulation and will encourage other countries to follow suit. Along with entering into force, the committee has also recommended that Australia seek to encourage the development and early adoption of similar treaties beyond Europe aimed at combating sports manipulation and illegal offshore gambling at a global level.

The report also includes one minor treaty action, which amends annex I of the UNESCO International Convention Against Doping in Sport. This agreement aims to prevent and eliminate doping in sport through international cooperation and standardising legislation, guidelines, regulations and rules. The amendment to annex I will reflect the 2026 update to the World Anti-Doping Agency's prohibited list, which specifies substances and methods banned in sport. This list is updated annually, and the amendments are made regularly to reflect this.

The committee recommends ratification of both major treaties and the minor treaty action examined in this report. On behalf of the committee, I commend the report to the House.