Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I present the government response to the 194th report of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties. In accordance with the usual practice, I seek leave to incorporate the document in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The document read as follows—

Australian Government response to the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties report 1 94:

Amendments 2020—CITES

Amendments to Appendices I, II and Ill of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

Introduction

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is a multilateral treaty comprising mechanisms for regulating international trade in endangered species. Endangered species are listed in three appendices according to the degree of risk of extinction.

Amendments to Appendices I, II and III of CITES were adopted at the 18th Conference of the Parties (CoP) held in Geneva, Switzerland on 28 August 2019 and tabled in the Parliament on 30 November 2020.

Response

The government thanks the committee for its consideration of the Amendments 2020—CITES—Amendments to Appendices I, II and III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which was tabled on 16 March 2021. The government provides the following response to the committee's recommendations on this matter.

Recommendation 2

The Committee recommends that, as soon as practicable after the Australian Government is informed of a proposed amendment to a species listed in the CITES Appendices for whic h Australia is a range state, or in which Australia is involved in international trade, the relevant Minister should refer, by letter, the proposed amendment to the Committee/or inquiry, citing paragraph l(b) of the Committee's resolution of appointment.

R esponse

Agreed. The government acknowledges the committee's concerns regarding timing of the amendments to the appendices to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. This government will ensure that any proposed amendments for species for which Australia is a range state, or in which Australia is involved in international trade are referred to the committee for inquiry as soon as practicable after it is informed of the proposal, citing paragraph l(b) of the committee's resolution of appointment.