Purpose of the Report

This report contains advice to Parliament on the review by the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties of five treaty actions tabled in the 41st Parliament on 15 August 2007¹ and 11 September 2007². The inquiries into these treaty actions lapsed on the dissolution of the 41st Parliament on 17 October 2007. The treaty actions were subsequently tabled in the 42nd Parliament on 12 March 2008.³

• Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks, Regulations and a Supplementary Resolution by the Diplomatic Conderence (Singapore, 27 March 2006)
• Patent Law Treaty (Geneva, 1 June 2000)

• Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Kingdom of Tonga relating to Air Services, done at Neiafu, Tonga on 23 August 2003
• Withdrawal of Australia’s exemption for the use of mirex under Article 4 of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, done at Stockholm on 22 May 2001
• Constitutional amendments to the Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization and other WIPO administered treaties adopted by the WIPO General Assemblies in September 1999 and October 2003

Briefing documents

The Report refers frequently to the National Interest Analysis (NIA) prepared for each proposed treaty action. This document is prepared by the Government agency (or agencies) responsible for the administration of Australia’s responsibilities under each treaty. Copies of each NIA may be obtained from the Committee Secretariat or accessed through the Committee’s website at:

Copies of each treaty action and NIA may also be obtained from the Australian Treaties Library maintained on the internet by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The Australian Treaties Library is accessible through the Committee’s website or directly at:

Conduct of the Committee’s review

The reviews contained in this report were advertised in the national press and on the Committee’s website.⁴ Invitations to lodge submissions were also sent to all State Premiers, Chief Ministers, Presiding Members of Parliament and to individuals who have expressed an interest in being kept informed of proposed treaty actions. Submissions received and their authors are listed at Appendix A.

The Committee also received evidence at a public hearing on 17 September 2007 in Canberra. A list of witnesses who appeared before the Committee at the public hearings is at Appendix B. Transcripts of evidence from public hearings may be obtained from the Committee Secretariat or accessed through the Committee’s website at:

The Committee in the 42nd Parliament resolved that the evidence from the previous Parliament be used as a basis for this Report.