The Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer and the Attorney-General
Daryl Williams
We are pleased to announce that Australia deposited its instrument
of ratification to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal
Court at 10.00am on 1 July 2002, New York time. The Statute will
thus enter into force for Australia on 1 September 2002.
Australia's instrument of ratification includes a declaration affirming
the primacy of Australia's criminal jurisdiction in relation to
crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court. It outlines the conditions
under which a person in Australian custody or control would be surrendered
to the Court and clarifies Australia's interpretation of the crimes
within the Statute. The declaration has full effect in Australian
law and is not a reservation. It reinforces safeguards already
built into the Statute to preserve Australian sovereignty over our
criminal jurisdiction.
The establishment of a permanent International Criminal Court with
the capacity to investigate and prosecute genocide, war crimes and
crimes against humanity, has been a long standing human rights and
foreign policy objective of the Government.
Australia's ratification follows intensive Parliamentary scrutiny
of the Statute and wide-spread consultation amongst Australian international,
constitutional and criminal law experts, interest groups and the
broader community.
Media enquiries: Chris Kenny (Ministerial) 02 6277 7500 / Carina
Tan-Van Baren (Mr William's office) 02 6277 7300
