Phillip Thompson (Herbert, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I thank the House for the opportunity to make a brief statement on this report. One of the most important duties this parliament has is to do everything we can to ensure we keep Australians safe. That's exactly what the Treaty on Extradition between Australia and the Czech Republic aims to do. Signed by the former coalition government, this treaty strengthens the law enforcement cooperation relationship between our two countries. We have 39 such treaties with other countries.

As the national interest analysis notes, the key reason for the treaty is the general cost of serious and organised crime: up to $60 billion in 2021. Specifically, our engagement with the Czech Republic includes efforts to combat the manufacture and shipment of synthetic drugs as well as serious cybercrime. At the centre of this treaty action is the intention to create a comprehensive framework between Australia and the Czech Republic that will facilitate the surrender of a person from one country to the other country for the purposes of criminal prosecution or the imposition or service of a criminal sentence. The last thing our law enforcement authorities need when wanting to stop crime or take drugs off our streets is an uncertain process with no guarantee of an outcome. This treaty will help minimise that uncertainty. Importantly, it includes provisions for urgent cases, where a requesting country can apply for the provisional arrest of a person whose extradition will be requested at a later stage.

I'd like to thank the chair, the committee and those who help us in the secretariat. I commend the report to the House and thank the committee for its recommendation that binding treaty action be taken.

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