This Report contains the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties’ review of the following treaty actions:
Air Services Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the State of Kuwait (Antalya, 22 October 2015); and
Protocol to Amend and Supplement the Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the State of Bahrain relating to Air Services (Bahrain, 8 June 2014).
These two treaty actions were tabled in the 44th Parliament and the Committee’s inquiry into each lapsed at the dissolution of that Parliament. The treaty actions were re-referred to the Committee at the beginning of the 45th Parliament.
The Air Services agreement for Kuwait follows the standard Australian model air services agreement and is expected to facilitate trade and tourism between the two countries.
The Protocol to amend the Bahrain Air Services Agreement provides for more liberal route rights and tariff provisions for both countries and changes references to ‘the State of Bahrain’ to ‘the Kingdom of Bahrain’.
The Committee has recommended that both Air Services agreements be ratified.
The Report also includes details of three minor treaty actions for which the Committee has agreed that binding treaty action be taken:
Amendment to Annex II of the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) International Convention against Doping in Sport;
Amendments to Annex I of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 Relating Thereto (MARPOL); and
Second Protocol establishing the Prolongation of the Treaty between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Australia on the Presence of Australian Personnel in the Netherlands for the Purpose of Responding to the Downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.