Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I present two reports of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties as listed at item 15 on today's Order of Business, and I seek leave to have the tabling statement incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The document read as follows—

Mr President, today I present two reports for the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties: Report 149 and Report 150.

Report 149 contains the Committee's views on recent amendments to the Bonn Convention and Report 150 contains views on three proposed treaty actions: Australia's withdrawal from the World Tourism Organization, the International Maritime Organization's Instrument Implementation Code and the extension of the treaty between Australia and the Netherlands with regard to the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 disaster.

The Bonn Convention seeks to conserve land, bird and fish species that migrate across or outside national boundaries. Mr President, the amendments have added 31 species to the Bonn Convention. However, Australia has lodged a Reservation to adding five of the shark species to the Convention. We understand that the Reservation has raised concern in some quarters but the Committee is satisfied that it is necessary in this instance. A number of these species are occasionally caught by recreational fishers in Australian waters. If the Reservation had not been made, recreational fishers would break the law every time they caught a member of the species.

2 Mr President, Australia proposes to withdraw from the World Tourism Organization. Australia re-joined the Organization in 2004 but since then membership fees have increased ninety-two per cent. There appear to be limited benefits to Australia's tourism industry from membership of the Organization and there are claims that we are not receiving value for money. The Committee is aware that the decision can be reversed, as it has been in the past, if institutions or national priorities change.

The International Maritime Organisation's Instrument Implementation Code provides a mandatory audit scheme aimed at improving maritime safety. The IMO is the United Nations agency responsible for the safety, security and environmental performance of international shipping. A range of relevant IMO conventions will need to be amended to make sure the Code applies to regulations such as fire safety and management and environmental standards. Mr President, making the scheme mandatory will encourage ongoing compliance and help the IMO identify countries that require assistance to meet its standards.

Lastly, the treaty arrangements that were put in place in late 2014 to facilitate the recovery effort after the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 are due to expire on 1 August 2015. There is still work to be done and Australian personnel are likely to remain in the Netherlands beyond that date. The original treaty needs to be extended to ensure their ongoing protection.

Mr President, the Committee supports the withdrawal of Australia from the UNWTO and the ratification of the remaining treaties in these two reports.

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

I move:

That the Senate takes note of the report.

I seek leave to continue my remarks.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.