Purpose of the Report

This report contains advice to Parliament on the review by the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties of eight treaty actions tabled in Parliament on 13 June 2007. These treaty actions are:

13 June 2007¹

1. Treaty between Australia and the Kingdom of Thailand on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters, Kuala Lumpur, 27 July 2006
2. Agreement on Health Care Insurance between Australia and the Kingdom of Belgium, Canberra, 10 August 2006
3. Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of Antigua and Barbuda on the Exchange of Information with Respect to Taxes, Saint John’s, Antigua 30 January 2007
4. Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Respect of the Netherlands Antilles for the Exchange of Information with Respect to Taxes, Canberra, 1 March 2007
5. Agreement on Operational and Strategic Cooperation between Australia and the European Police Office (Europol) (The Hague, 20 February 2007)
6. Protocol between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China Amending the Agreement for the Surrender of Accused and Convicted Persons of 15 November 1993, Hong Kong, 19 March 2007
7. Extension of the Agreement of 4 December 1997 between the Government of Australia and the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization in relation to the functioning of the Australian Patent Office as an International Searching Authority and International Preliminary Examining Authority under the Patent Cooperation Treaty
8. International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004, London, 13 February 2004

Briefing documents

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

www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/jsct/13june2007/tor.htm

Copies of treaty actions and NIAs 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:

www.austlii.edu.au/au/other/dfat/

Conduct of the Committee’s review

The review contained in this report was advertised in the national press and on the Committee’s website. 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 public hearings held on 18 and 22 June 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: