BREAKING down trade barriers and improving opportunities for Australian industry and business will be on the agenda when two treaties are examined today.

The Treaties Committee will investigate the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Trade Facilitation, which aims to help Australian businesses better connect to the global economy by removing red tape and simplifying customs procedures.

The agreement was adopted by the 159 Members of the WTO in December 2013. It is the first major agreement concluded since the establishment of the WTO in 1995 and is seen as a significant milestone in the development of a multilateral trading system.

A number of administrative requirements have hindered businesses from taking full advantage of the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA), Australia’s largest existing free trade agreement. The committee will investigate the First Protocol to Amend AANZFTA designed to make it simpler to complete the paperwork required to do business in the two countries.

Committee Chair Wyatt Roy MP says these two treaties will open up opportunities for Australian businesses and industry.

“It is not just tariff barriers that inhibit businesses from looking for global marketing opportunities. Often red tape and complicated customs processes prove too difficult to negotiate,” Mr Roy said.

The committee will also examine a treaty on mutual legal assistance on criminal matters with Viet Nam which will pave the way for Australia and Viet Nam to exchange information and evidence for investigating and prosecuting serious crimes.

Public Hearing: Monday 2 March, Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra

11.10am 

World Trade Organization (WTO) Protocol Amending the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization

WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation

11.50am

First Protocol to Amend the Agreement Establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA)

12.30pm

Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters between Australia and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam

1.00pm

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The hearings will be broadcast through: www.aph.gov.au/live

Copies of the treaties and submissions received can be found at: http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Treaties

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THE Australian Retailers Association (ARA) Executive Director Russell Zimmerman paid tribute to outgoing Myer CEO Bernie Brookes following the announcement of his retirement today.

“I have had the privilege of working alongside Bernie and Myer throughout my time leading the retail industry’s peak body. Bernie has always been a strong team player in the retail industry and has dedicated much of his time to benefit the retail sector within his role,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“Bernie is an outstanding individual at both a professional and personal level and I thank him for his commitments."

The ARA also congratulated incoming Myer CEO Richard Umbers who has had a long relationship with the ARA dealing with key industry issues.

“Richard Umbers has already been an outstanding leader within the retail sector and I look forward to working closely with him and Myer to deliver the exciting opportunities our sector can bring,” Mr Zimmerman said.

Since 1903, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has been the peak industry body representing Australia’s $265 billion retail sector, which employs over 1.2 million people. The ARA ensures retail success by informing, protecting, advocating, educating and saving money for its 5,000 independent and national retail members throughout Australia.

Visit www.retail.org.au or call 1300 368 041.

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FEDERAL PARLIAMENT’s Public Accounts Committee has presented its report on five Australian National Audit Office reports from 2013-14:

• Audit Report No. 42, Screening of International Mail
• Audit Report No. 43, Managing Compliance with Environment Protection and   Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 Conditions of Approval
• Audit Report No. 48, Administration of the Australian Business Register
• Audit Report No. 50, Cyber Attacks: Securing Agencies’ ICT Systems
• Audit Report No. 52, Multi-Role Helicopter Program

Committee Chair Dr Andrew Southcott MP said that these are significant areas of public administration where the public and the Parliament want to see improved outcomes. They also involve important issues of public safety and security.

“Two key themes emerging from these reports were the importance of agencies taking an appropriate risk based approach and also, where appropriate, working cooperatively with other agencies and stakeholders to achieve common objectives,” Dr Southcott said.

The Committee’s report includes recommendations directed at:

• Australian Customs and the Department of Agriculture reviewing methods of screening international mail to ensure Australia conforms to international best practice, and strengthening cooperative arrangements with other countries regarding identification of illicit firearm shipments
• Commonwealth agencies achieving full compliance with required strategies and controls in the Australian Signal Directorate’s Information Security Manual, and increased scrutiny of this area
• increased scrutiny of the Department of Environment’s management of the EPBC Act compliance framework and new one-stop-shop arrangements, and improved performance reporting in this area
• the Department of Defence and the Defence Materiel Organisation publishing annual figures on Australian industry content in their acquisition and sustainment contracts
• the Australian Taxation Office and partner agencies working more closely together to reduce entry points for business interactions with government through the Australian Business Register, and providing more efficient registration and reporting mechanisms

Copies of the report and further information about the inquiry can be accessed via the Committee’s website at: www.aph.gov.au/jcpaa.

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PARLIAMENT's Joint Public Accounts and Audit Committee (JCPAA) will conduct a public hearing to examine the joint Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) and Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) Major Projects Report (MPR) 2013-14.

Having opened the inquiry into the MPR on 18 December 2014, the Committee will now examine witnesses from the Department of Defence, the DMO and the ANAO in order to investigate further the issues raised by the report.

Committee Chair, Dr Andrew Southcott MP, said that major Defence equipment projects remain the subject of considerable parliamentary and public interest, in view of their high cost, contribution to national security and the challenges involved in completing them within budget, on time and to the required level of capability.

“This is the seventh MPR produced by the ANAO and DMO and the Committee remains committed to seeing that, when it comes to Defence procurement, Australian tax-payers’ money is being spent wisely,” Dr Southcott said.

“The JCPAA’s on-going work has been very important in the MPR’s development.  Our efforts actively contribute to greater efficiencies in terms of current Defence projects as well as helping inform government on the best way to approach new Defence acquisitions, such as the Future Submarine project.”

Further information about the Committee’s inquiry, including details on how to lodge a submission, are available on the Committee’s website at: www.aph.gov.au/jcpaa.

Details for the hearings are as follows:
Date and time Friday, 27 February 2015, 9.30am – 11.30am
Venue:  Committee Room 1R2, Parliament House, Canberra.

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