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Appendix 1
Ministerial responsibilities

Minister for Foreign Affairs, The Hon. Alexander Downer, MP

Mr Downer has overall responsibility for the portfolio, including the department's administration and management, and all non-trade international political, multilateral and legal issues (including the treaty-making process), consular and passport functions, and development assistance matters. In addition, he is responsible for all human rights, arms control and disarmament issues, peacekeeping, and the non-trade related aspects of the UN system. Mr Downer shares responsibility for international security issues with the Minister for Defence. International environment issues, while primarily the responsibility of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, often require close consultation and occasionally joint decision by both portfolio ministers. Mr Downer has primary carriage of non-trade related public affairs activities and questions of protocol. He also has responsibility for the administration and management of AusAID, the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office, the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, and the Australia-Japan Foundation.

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Minister for Trade, The Hon. Mark Vaile, MP

Mr Vaile is responsible for all trade matters-bilateral, regional and multilateral-and has responsibility for Austrade, the Export Market Development Grants Scheme and the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation. Bilateral responsibilities include proposed Free Trade Agreements and other Trade and Economic Agreements with important trading partners. Regional responsibilities include APEC and ASEAN Free Trade Area-Australia-New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement (AFTA-CER) arrangements. Multilateral responsibilities include the WTO and OECD. Mr Vaile consults sectoral ministers, state and territory governments and industry to ensure that the Government's international trade efforts are effective and aimed at improving Australia's export and investment performance. Mr Vaile also has responsibility for TradeStart. When travelling overseas to promote and advance Australian trade and commercial interests, Mr Vaile often leads industry missions.

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Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, The Hon. Christine Gallus, MP

Mrs Gallus is responsible for the day-to-day management of issues related to Australia's overseas aid program, and provides assistance to Mr Downer in carrying out his responsibility for aid policy. She liaises closely with non-government organisations, business groups and other key stakeholders in relation to overseas aid, and is actively involved in encouraging an understanding of Australia's official aid program among the wider community. Mrs Gallus is the Government's Special Representative on Mine Action and Deputy Chair of the Aid Advisory Council. She is also strongly engaged in promoting recognition of the efforts of Australian volunteers in developing countries, and takes an active role in promoting the consular and passports functions of the portfolio.

Further information about the Ministers and Parliamentary Secretary is available from the department's website (www.dfat.gov.au/minister)

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