David Feeney (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

The government's intention, and the purpose of the bill, is to give effect to the provisions of the Convention on Cluster Munitions which reflect international agreement on the prohibition of those munitions. The convention was negotiated by approximately 49 countries and adopted by 107 countries, including Australia, and it was developed in close consultation with representatives of civil society. The primary purpose of the bill is to create criminal offences in Australian law for the conduct that the international community has agreed should be permitted. The bill uses the language of the convention wherever possible in order to ensure that all conduct that is prohibited by the convention is the subject of a criminal offence under Australian law. In conclusion, the government's view is that the bill is accomplishing the task set out for it, and it could be described as the centrepiece of a number of measures which keep faith with Australia's support for the convention.