The Case for Parliamentary Approval of Treaties in Australia
AbstractThe author discusses the treaty making process in Australia and argues that Parliamentary approval of treaties should be required. He surveys the United States experience in this area and supports a similar treaty approval process for Australia. The author argues that the Australian community desires greater parliamentary involvement in the treaty-making process. This is probably a consequence of the growing realisation of the impact that international agreements can have, combined with a desire on the part of a range of interest groups to be able to influence this impact in a way that furthers their own interests. Parliament seems more accessible to this type of lobbying than is the executive, particularly in light of its more public processes and the wider range of interests represented in Parliament. |