Senate debates

Tuesday, 20 March 2018

Committees

Treaties Committee; Report

5:24 pm

Photo of John WilliamsJohn Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | | Hansard source

(—) (): On behalf of Senator Fawcett, I present two reports of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties as listed at item 15 on today's Order of Business. I seek leave to have the tabling speech of Senator Fawcett incorporated into Hansard.

Leave granted.

The speech read as follows—

I rise to make a statement concerning the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties' Reports 176 and 177.

Report 176 contains the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties' review of three treaty actions: an Agreement to continue support for the Singapore Air Force Flying Training Institute to continue to use the RAAF Base at Pearce in Western Australia; an Agreement with the Solomon Islands to support the deployment of Australian personnel to the Islands in the event of need; and an Agreement with the United States regarding continued support for America's space program.

Mr President, the Agreement with Singapore replaces an existing Memorandum of Understanding and will provide a legal framework to support the continuing operation of Singapore's Flying Training Institute in Australia. The Institute has been a central element of Australia's defence relationship with Singapore for almost a quarter of a century. This Agreement will allow Singapore to continue flight training at the RAAF Base Pearce into the future.

Mr President, we note that the significant Royal Singapore Air Force presence at RAAF Base Pearce provides economic benefits to businesses in the area and that the community are supportive of the arrangements. We have a significant history of bilateral relations with Singapore and concluded the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with them in 2015. This Agreement further demonstrates our commitment to that Partnership and the ongoing wider bilateral relationship.

The Agreement between Australia and the Solomon Islands enables the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Defence Force to deploy rapidly and effectively in the event of an emergency. Of course, this would only happen at the request of the Solomon Islands government.

For fourteen years from 2003, Australia led the RAMSI mission to help to stabilise the country after a period of unrest. RAMSI concluded on 30 June 2017. Mr President, while RAMSI was successful, the Solomon Islands still faces many development challenges. This Agreement will allow Australia to provide ongoing support, helping to build long-term stability and enduring growth.

We note the importance of stability in this region to Australia's security. We heard about the concerns of Solomon Islanders regarding the conclusion of the RAMSI mission and the withdrawal of its personnel. We were assured that the negotiation of this new Agreement has gone someway to allay those fears and, we were told, it has wide support of Solomon Islanders.

The Agreement between Australia and the United States for Space Vehicle Tracking and Communications Facilities consolidates an existing arrangement that has been in effect since 1960. Mr President, Australia's vital support for America's space program is well recognised. Facilities, including the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex at Tidbinbilla, have provided support for missions including the Curiosity Rover's exploration of the surface of Mars, the Cassini mission to Saturn and the Hubble space telescope. This Agreement will allow the ongoing collaboration to continue for another 25 years.

The Committee recommends that binding treaty action be taken for all three agreements.

Finally, Mr President, the Report also contains the Committee's review of five minor treaty actions.

The second report being tabled today, Report 177, contains the Committee's review of the proposed Extradition and Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties with Jordan.

Mr President, the Committee has a history of supporting extradition and mutual legal assistance treaties, and has recommended that the two Treaties being considered here be ratified.

The Committee has made two further recommendations and a suggestion to address matters raised during the inquiry.

First, the Committee recommends that Australia and Jordan negotiate a less than treaty level agreement setting out how the Extradition Treaty will apply if Australia seeks the return of Australian foreign fighters transiting through Jordan from Iraq and Syria.

The Committee believes the less than treaty level agreement will prevent complications arising from the extraterritorial nature of foreign fighter offences.

Secondly, the Committee recommends an expansion of monitoring arrangements for Australian residents who have been extradited.

Mr President, the Committee feels that monitoring extradited Australian residents contributes to public trust in the extradition process by minimising the possibility that extradited Australian resident will be subject to torture, or cruel and inhuman treatment.

Finally, the Committee suggests that, in relation to extradition decisions for persons who may be tried by Jordan's State Security Court, the Attorney-General's Department advise the relevant Minister that this Court may not be independent.

Mr President, the Committee believes this is necessary in light of both international and local concerns about the independence of this Court.

Mr President, on behalf of the Committee, I commend the Reports to the Senate.

I move:

That the Senate take note of the reports.

5:25 pm

Photo of Andrew BartlettAndrew Bartlett (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | | Hansard source

I seek leave to continue my remarks later.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.