Committee supports suspension of Hong Kong legal treaties

A FEDERAL parliamentary committee today strongly supported the Australian Government’s actions to suspend Australia’s Extradition and Mutual Legal Assistance treaties with Hong Kong.

Report 190, released today by the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties follows an inquiry undertaken at the request of the Attorney-General, Christian Porter MP.

“The evidence gathered by the Committee establishes a strong public foundation for the actions for the Australian Government,” said Committee Chair Dave Sharma MP.

“The Committee heard the imposition by China of its National Security Law in Hong Kong has fundamentally altered Hong Kong’s status and raised serious concerns about the independence of the judiciary in Hong Kong and the continued application of the rule of law and other fundamental principles of justice. This constitutes a fundamental change of circumstances,” Mr Sharma said.

The bi-partisan committee unanimously endorsed the actions of the Australian Government to protect the integrity of its international law enforcement arrangements and uphold the rights of its citizens by suspending these two treaties.

The Committee will continue to take a close interest in political developments in Hong Kong.

ends