Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Hansard source

Thanks, Senator Rennick. The bill makes three changes to the act. First, it will enable Australia to declare an organisation of which Australia is not currently a member as an international organisation under the act. Perhaps I can explain that that's important because there are organisations which, for one reason or another, we may not be able to be a member of or we may not at this point in time seek to join but we nonetheless wish to cooperate with them, so it is useful for us to be in a position to offer them these immunities and privileges so they may conduct activities in Australia that are in our national interest. Secondly, it will allow Australia to confer privileges and immunities on categories of officials not prescribed in the act where requested by an international organisation and agreed to by Australia, and it will amend the act to allow more flexibility in the conferral of privileges and immunities to international organisations and connected persons.

Both of those latter two points go to essentially technicalities and challenges in the interpretation of the act as presently constructed. For example, in some instances where an official's title might be described, in the treaty that establishes the organisation, in terms different to how it is described in our act—even though they are functionally the same thing and we would ordinarily seek to offer privileges and immunities to such a person exercising those duties in our country—it's been challenging legally. So it addresses technical complications that have impeded our capacity to offer privileges and immunities where there is a policy interest in doing so.

The broader point the government would make is that the bill will provide new opportunities for Australia to cooperate with international organisations. We anticipate that that would assist in deepening our defence, science and other strategic relationships and more broadly enhance our engagement with the multilateral system.