Appendix 7: Inquiries by parliamentary committees

The Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee reported on the department’s proposed expenditure (Estimates Reports) in March and June, and tabled its Scrutiny of Annual Reports in March.

During the review period, the department made submissions or gave evidence to 11 parliamentary committee inquiries, as follows:

Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade

Inquiry into the Australian Government loan to Papua New Guinea, referred to Committee 6 February 2001
Inquiry into Enterprising Australia, Planning, Preparing and Profiting from Trade and Investment, referred to Committee 2 November 2000
Inquiry into Australia’s Relations with the United Nations in the Post Cold War Environment, referred to Committee 15 November 1999
Inquiry into Australia’s Relations with the Middle East, including the Gulf Region, referred to Committee 8 February 2000
Inquiry into the Link between Aid and Human Rights, referred to Committee 14 September 2000

Senate Select Committee

Inquiry into the Contract for a New Reactor at Lucas Heights, referred to Committee 15 August 2000

Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee

Inquiry into the Import Risk Assessment on New Zealand Apples, referred to Committee 2 November 2000

Joint Statutory Committee of Public Accounts and Audit

Inquiry into the Auditor-General Act 1997, referred to Committee 29 November 2000

Senate Select Committee on Superannuation and Financial Services

Inquiry into the Opportunities and Constraints for Australia to become a Centre for the Provision of Global Financial Services, referred to Committee on 11 October 1999

Joint Standing Committee on Treaties

Inquiry into Australia’s relationship with the World Trade Organization, initiated by the Committee on 29 June 2000
Inquiry into the Kyoto Protocol, initiated by the Committee on 29 June 2000

At the Committee’s request, departmental officers also provided briefings on 6 November and 4 December 2000 in respect of the Cartagena Protocol (Biosafety Protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity).

Departmental officers also appeared before the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties in respect of the proposed treaty actions shown below with the date of the hearings and the number of the Committee’s Report where available:

Three treaties tabled on tabled 15 August 2000, heard on 28 August 2000, covered in Report No. 35:
- Amendments to the Implementing Arrangements for Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy Agreement with Japan
- Agreement on Extradition between Australia and the Republic of Latvia
- Agreement concerning Space Vehicle Tracking and Communication Facilities
Eight treaties tabled on 10 October 2000:
Heard on 30 October 2000, covered in Report 37:
- Double Taxation Agreement with the Russian Federation
- Amendments to the International Whaling Convention
- Agreement with Egypt on Protecting the Welfare of Children
- Fifth Additional Protocol to the Universal Postal Union
- Sixth Additional Protocol to the Universal Postal Union
- Protocol concerning the International Registration of Marks

Heard on 30 October 2000, covered in Report 39:

Privileges and Immunities of the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea

Heard on 30 October 2000, no report to date:

Statute of the International Criminal Court

Twelve treaties tabled on 27 February 2001 and 6 March 2001:
Heard on 5 March 2001, covered in Report 39:
- Air Services Agreement with Denmark
- Air Services Agreement with Norway
- Air Services Agreement with Sweden
- Air Services Agreement with Pakistan
- Air Services Agreement with Samoa
- Additional Protocols to the Asian-Pacific Postal Union

Heard on 13 March 2001, covered in Report 39:

Mutual Recognition Agreement on Conformity Assessment with Singapore
Amendments to the Constitution of the International Labour Organization
Agreement on Protecting Classified Defence Information with Denmark
Agreement on Protecting Classified Defence Information with South Africa
Agreement Establishing the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat
Amendments to the Treaty on Fisheries between Certain Pacific Island States and the United States of America

Six treaties tabled on 23 May 2001:
Heard on 4 June 2001, no report to date:
- Films Co-Production Agreement with Germany
- Social Security Agreement with New Zealand

Heard on 4 June and again on 25 June 2001, no report to date:

Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels

Heard on 25 June 2001, no report to date:

Denunciation of International Labour Organization Conventions No. 15 and 21
Withdrawal of Ratification of International Labour Organization Conventions No. 57, 76, 93 and 109
Protocol to Amend the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims

About the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Travel

Appendix 7: Inquiries by parliamentary committees