David Fawcett (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I present the 145th report of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties tabled on 26 August and 2 September 2014.

Ordered that the report be printed.

I move:

That the Senate take note of the report.

The report contains the committee's views on three proposed treaties: the Force Posture Agreement between Australia and the US, the agreement between Australia and Japan for the transfer of defence equipment and technology and the agreement between Australia and the US for the sharing of visa and immigration information. The force posture initiatives were announced in 2011 and support our efforts to deepen our long-standing alliance with the US. Senators would be aware of the annual rotation of the US Marine Corps and US Air force personnel in Northern Australia. This year's rotation reached 1,500 personnel. In the future that number will grow to 2,500. The Force Posture Agreement provides the legal policy framework and also puts in the requirements around the respect of Australian sovereignty and our law and imposes obligation for consultation. It reinforces the long-standing policy that there are no foreign bases on Australian soil but provide certainty around the conditions of access for US forces to Australian owned facilities.

That agreement with Japan, despite all the bluster that has occurred today, relates to the transfer of defence equipment and technology. It facilitates the ability for the Defence Science and Technology Organisation here to work with Japan's Technical Research and Development Institute to work more closely together on areas of common interest and mutual benefit. The DSTO does fabulous work in a similar manner, particularly with the US, the UK and Canada. Given Japan's expertise in a number of areas, this is a welcome development.

Lastly, the agreement with the US to share visa and immigration information is required to allow the automation of existing immigration information sharing processes. That automation means that there will be more effective sharing of information and more effective capture of information that is relevant. That has already led to a number of cases where we have identified immigration and identity fraud.

The committee supports ratification of the treaties discussed in this report. On behalf of the committee, I commend the report to the Senate and seek leave to continue my remarks.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.