Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, I present report No. 82, Agreement between Australia and Cambodia concerning the transfer of sentenced persons. I move:

That the Senate take note of the report.

I seek leave to have the tabling statement incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The statement read as follows—

Report 82 contains the recommendation by the committee that binding treaty action be taken in relation to the agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia concerning Transfer of Sentenced Persons signed in Canberra on 11 October 2006.

The committee has taken the slightly unusual step of tabling this short report to allow the other domestic requirements for the agreement’s entry into force to be completed as quickly as possible. The committee intends to table a full report at a later date.

There are five Australians currently in prison in Cambodia, including one who is 18 years old. The committee thought it was important to ensure that any Australians who would access the provisions of the Agreement once it has entered into force would have the opportunity to do so as soon as possible.

The committee encourages the government to implement the agreement in Australia’s domestic law as quickly as possible. The committee also hopes that the Cambodian government will move quickly on its domestic requirement for the entry into force of the agreement.

The committee also thanks representatives from the Attorney-General’s Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for being available for a public hearing at short notice. The hearing was held on Tuesday evening and we are now tabling the report on Thursday morning.

I commend the report to the Senate.