TERMS OF REFERENCE
On 24 August 1995, the Senate referred the following matter to the
Committee for inquiry and report on or before 30 November 1995*:
1. The appropriateness and effectiveness of the Australian Government's
provision of consular assistance to Australians abroad, taking into
account the principles of international law and practice which provide
the framework for such assistance, including
(a) issues and problems in dealing with difficult and complex cases,
particularly:
(i) deaths of Australians in criminal and possibly criminal circumstances,
for example, the cases of David Wilson, Kellie Wilkinson, Ben Maresh;
(ii) foreign judicial proceedings involving Australians, such as
the cases of James Peng and Robert Bowra;
(iii) custody issues involving Australian children; and
(iv) the extent of the Government's responsibility for providing
legal assistance to Australians involved in judicial proceedings
overseas;
(b) the provision of other consular assistance including that to
Australians in foreign jails, in cases of missing Australians and
in cases of Australians in need of support overseas, such as short-term
loans and medical assistance; and
(c) provision of timely and accurate consular travel advice to Australian
travellers or intending travellers.
2. Measures that could be taken by the Australian Government to improve
the handling of consular matters.
* The inquiry was re-adopted at the beginning of the new parliament with
the reporting date as the last day of sitting 1996. The reporting dated
was then extended to 30 May 1997 and further to 18 June 1997.