Joint Standing Committee on Treaties

Committee activities (inquiries and reports)

Report 84 Treaty tabled on 6 December 2006

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June 2007

Canberra

ISBN 978 0 642 78950 1 (printed version)

ISBN 978 0 642 78951 8 (HTML version)

Membership of the Committee
Resolution of appointment
List of abbreviations
List of recommendations
Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 The Agreement between Australia and the Republic of Indonesia on the Framework for Security Cooperation
Chapter 3 A broad consideration of the Agreement
Chapter 4 Cooperation provisions of the Agreement
Chapter 5 Conclusions
Appendix A - Submissions
Appendix B - Exhibits
Appendix C - Witnesses
Dissenting report

Membership of the Committee

Chair	Dr Andrew Southcott MP
Deputy Chair	Mr Kim Wilkie MP
Members	Hon Dick Adams MP	Senator Andrew Bartlett
	Mr Michael Johnson MP	Senator Carol Brown
	Mr Michael Keenan MP	Senator The Hon Ian Macdonald (from 23/3/2007)
	Mr Andrew Laming MP (from 14/2/2007)	Senator Brett Mason (until 23/3/2007)
	Mrs Margaret May MP	Senator Julian McGauran
	Mrs Sophie Mirabella MP (until 14/2/2007)	Senator Glenn Sterle
	Mr Bernie Ripoll MP	Senator Russell Trood
	Hon Bruce Scott MP	Senator Dana Wortley

Committee Secretariat

Secretary	James Rees
Inquiry Secretary	Serica Mackay (from 24/1/07)
	Stephanie Mikac (until 24/1/07)
Research Officer	Clare James (from 24/1/07)
Administrative Officer	Heidi Luschtinetz
	Doris Cooley (from 1/5/07)

Resolution of appointment

The Resolution of Appointment of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties allows it to inquire into and report upon:

matters arising from treaties and related National Interest Analyses and proposed treaty actions presented or deemed to be presented to the Parliament;
any question relating to a treaty or other international instrument, whether or not negotiated to completion, referred to the committee by:

either House of the Parliament, or
a Minister; and

such other matters as may be referred to the committee by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and on such conditions as the Minister may prescribe.

List of abbreviations

ACF	Australian Conservation Foundation
ACFID	Australian Council for International Development
ADF	Australian Defence Force
AFP	Australian Federal Police
ANSTO	Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation
ASNO	Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office
AusAID	Australian Agency for International Development
Cth	Commonwealth
DFAT	Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
JSCOT	Joint Standing Committee on Treaties
MOU	Memorandum of Understanding
NIA	National Interest Analysis
NSW	New South Wales
TNI	Tentara Nasional Indonesia

List of recommendations

3 A broad consideration of the Agreement

Recommendation 1

The Committee recommends that the Australia Government continue to address widely expressed concerns about human rights in Indonesia with the Indonesian Government and in appropriate international fora.

4 Cooperation provisions of the Agreement

Recommendation 2

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government increase transparency in defence cooperation agreements to provide assurance that Australian resources do not directly or indirectly support human rights abuses in Indonesia.

Recommendation 3

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government encourage the Indonesian Government to allow greater access for the media and human rights monitors in Papua.

5 Conclusion and recommendations

Recommendation 4

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government engage in a campaign to increase public support for the Australia – Indonesia relationship. This campaign would have the goal of increasing awareness of the democratic reforms in Indonesia and the value to Australian security of strong relations with Indonesia.

Recommendation 5

The Committee supports the Agreement between Australia and the Republic of Indonesia on the Framework for Security Cooperation (Mataram, Lombok, 13 November 2006) and recommends binding treaty action be taken.