This Report contains the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties’ review of four treaty actions.
Agreement on Social Security between the Government of Australia and the Government of New Zealand (Wellington, 8 December 2016)
Australia and New Zealand have had bilateral social security arrangements since 1944. The Agreement provides for a joint responsibility for the payment of social security benefits for people have lived between Australia and New Zealand. The Agreement helps to overcome barriers to social security payments in the domestic legislation of each country, including citizenship and residence requirements. The Agreement only covers specific pensions, which, in Australia, are the age pension, disability support pension and carer payment. The Agreement aligns these payments with the requirements of domestic legislation.
The Committee supports the proposed Agreement and recommends that binding treaty action be taken.
Regional Co-operative Agreement for Research, Development and Training Related to Nuclear Science and Technology (Ulaanbaatar, 18 May 2016)
The Regional Co-operative Agreement facilitates Australian technical and political cooperation with 21 regional countries on nuclear research, technology and medical physics. Australian experts are currently involved in thirteen projects which are operating under the auspices of the existing (1987) Agreement. Unlike the 1987 Agreement, the proposed Agreement is of unlimited duration.
The Committee supports the proposed Agreement and recommends that binding treaty action be taken.
Loan Agreement between Australia and the International Monetary Fund (Canberra, 19 December 2016)
Recent global instability has seen a need for the International Monetary Fund to create extra avenues for borrowing in extraordinary circumstances. The Agreement is for a temporary loan of up to approximately $8.3 billion that Australia would be obliged to provide in certain circumstances.
The proposed Agreement improves the IMF’s accountability by including a two‑step activation process. Activation now requires the agreement of countries representing 85 per cent of the total amount of the total bilateral loan agreements.
The Committee supports the proposed Agreement and recommends that binding treaty action be taken.
Agreement concerning the Adoption of Harmonized Technical United Nations Regulations for Wheeled Vehicles, Equipment and Parts which can be Fitted and/or be Used on Wheeled Vehicles and the Conditions for Reciprocal Recognition of Approvals Granted on the Basis of these United Nations Regulations (Transmitted to Parties on 14 December 2016)
United Nations’ wheeled vehicle regulations aim to increase safety and reduce barriers to international motor vehicle trade. They create recognised standards that countries can choose to adopt. Australia has adopted 40 of 138 such regulations which allows Australia to recognise other countries’ approvals as meeting the Australian standard.
The treaty action also provides for parties to mutually recognise vehicle approvals. The Agreement does not affect the application of Australian standards on vehicles imported from countries not party to the Agreement.
The Committee supports the proposed Agreement and recommends that binding treaty action be taken.