Purpose of the Report

This report contains advice to Parliament on the review by the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties of four treaty actions tabled in Parliament on 12 March¹ and 14 May 2008.² These treaty actions are:

• Amendments, agreed at The Hague, Netherlands, in June 2007, to Appendices I and II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora of 3 March 1973
• International Tropical Timber Agreement, 2006 (Geneva, 27 January 2006)
• Protocol Amending the Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Republic of South Africa for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income of 1999 (Pretoria, 31 March 2008)
• Amendment, adopted at London in July 2007, to the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (IBC CODE)

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:
www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/jsct/12march2008/tor.htm  and
www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/jsct/14may2008/tor.htm

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

Conduct of the Committee’s review

The reviews contained in this report were advertised in the national press and on the Committee’s website.³ 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 on 8 May 2008, 16 June 2008 and 29 July 2008 in Canberra and Sydney. A list of witnesses who appeared before 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:
www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/jsct/12march2008/hearings.htm
and
www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/jsct/14may2008/hearings.htm