(1)   Does the Government stand by its commitment to support a nuclear weapons convention, made on 14 August 2007 by the then Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Robert McClelland in a speech to the United Nations Association.

(2)   Does the Government still consider the idea of a nuclear weapons convention as ‘responsible and timely’; if so, to what extent and in what manner.

(3)   Will the Government support moves to implement a nuclear weapons convention in the terms suggested by the Middle Powers Initiative and the updated model nuclear weapons convention, adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly as a discussion document in December 2007.

(4)   In detail, what is the Government’s response to the updated model nuclear weapons convention, tabled by Malaysia and Costa Rica in the UN General Assembly Plenary in December 2007.

(5)   Will the Government proceed with the creation of a new Canberra Commission, as promised by the Prime Minister (Mr Rudd) prior to the 2007 election; if so, when.

(6) (a)   Is the Minister aware that a key recommendation of the original Canberra Commission was the lowering of the operational readiness of nuclear weapons systems; and (b) how has the Government decided to respond to that recommendation and to recommendation 17 of the final report of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Committee, chaired by Dr Hans Blix and tabled on 1 June 2006, to the same effect.

(7)   Does the Government consider the UN resolution ‘Renewed determination toward the total elimination of nuclear weapons’ (the renewed determination) to be an appropriate response.

(8)   In regard to the more recent resolution L.29 on decreasing the operational readiness of nuclear weapons system, co-sponsored by New Zealand, Chile, Nigeria, Sweden and Switzerland: (a) in what way does it differ from the renewed determination; (b) why did Japan, a co-sponsor of the renewed determination, vote in favour of L.29; (c) were there any reasons, other than the exigencies of time, for the incoming Government not to have voted in support of resolution L.29 on operating status as Japan, Germany, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and New Zealand did; (d) what is the reaction of the Government to the passage of that text by the UN General Assembly in a vote of 136 to 3; (e) why did the three nations, with whom Australia so frequently votes, vote for this resolution while Australia abstained; (f) why was this abstention maintained in the UN General Assembly Plenary; (g) from which non-government organisations did the Government receive correspondence suggesting that it ought to change its vote in the Plenary; and (h) is there anything in the text of resolution L.29 that is, or could be interpreted as being, in any way destabilising; if so, what constructive changes might be made to the resolution.

(9)   Will the Government try to advance the issue of nuclear weapons operating status: (a) at the 2008 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Preparatory Committee (NPT PrepCom); (b) at the next UN General Assembly First Committee; and/or (c) in its discussions with the United States of America and/or Russia.

(10)   Will the Government consider working together with: (a) New Zealand, Chile, Nigeria, Sweden and Switzerland at the NPT PrepCom to write a working paper on nuclear weapons operational status; (b) the New Agenda group, both on this issue and more widely on nuclear disarmament issues at the NPT PrepCom; and (c) the New Agenda and the Non-Aligned Movement groups, as well as the western groups and the nuclear weapons states, to promote ongoing progress in nuclear disarmament and strategic stability both via the measures set out in the final report of the Year 2000 NPT review and in the renewed determination, and via a lowering in nuclear weapons operational readiness.

(11)   What further steps will the Government take towards: (a) lowering nuclear weapons operational readiness; and (b) bringing the world closer to the creation and implementation of a nuclear weapons convention, along the lines of the updated model convention submitted to the UN General Assembly Plenary.

(1)   The Government supports exploration of possible legal frameworks for the eventual abolition of nuclear weapons, including at an appropriate time the possibility of negotiation of a nuclear weapons convention. The Government sees the negotiation of a possible nuclear weapons convention as a longer-term goal.

(2)   It is timely and responsible to explore possible legal frameworks for the eventual abolition of nuclear weapons, including negotiation of a nuclear weapons convention.  This process will require extensive consultation and planning

(3)   The Government is supportive of exploring possible legal frameworks for the eventual abolition of nuclear weapons, including the possibility of negotiation of a nuclear weapons convention.  In the short term, the Government has prioritised immediate disarmament initiatives such as achieving entry into force of the CTBT, commencement of negotiations on an FMCT, and resumption of work in the Conference of Disarmament.

(4)   See (3).

(5)   On 9 June, the Prime Minister announced the establishment of an International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament.   The Commission will report to a major international conference of experts that will be sponsored by Australia.   The objective of the Commission and the conference will be to reinvigorate the global effort against the proliferation of nuclear weapons and to shape a global consensus in the lead up to the NPT Review Conference in 2010.

(6) (a)   Yes; (b) The Government supports the lowering of the operational readiness of nuclear weapons systems, in ways that promote international stability and security.  The Government has welcomed the efforts of some nuclear-weapon states to reduce the operational status of their nuclear arsenals and to de-target nuclear-armed missiles and increase the time required for their launch.  Such steps are practical disarmament measures that can raise the threshold for nuclear weapons use and help avoid the risk of miscalculation.

(7)   Australia co-sponsored United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 62/37 (“Renewed determination towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons”), Operative Paragraph 7 of which “calls for the nuclear-weapons States to further reduce the operational status of nuclear weapons systems in ways that promote international stability and security”.

(8)   Following the federal election on 25 November 2007, the new Australian Government was sworn in on 3 December 2007.  Before the Plenary voting on First Committee resolutions, which took place on 5 December 2007, the Australian Permanent Representative stated that the Government had just assumed office and had not had adequate time to consider each of the draft resolutions in the depth it would wish.  The Permanent Representative further said that the new Government was strongly committed to nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament and that this commitment would inform the Government’s approach to issues relating to international peace and security in the United Nations and other international forums.  The Government is not able to comment on the reasons for particular voting decisions of other states.

(9) (a)   At the second NPT Preparatory Committee meeting held in Geneva from 28 April to 10 May this year Australia welcomed the efforts of some nuclear weapons states to reduce the operational status of their nuclear arsenals and to de-target nuclear-armed missiles and increase the time required for their launch; (b); and (c) Yes.

(10)   (a); (b); and (c) The Government is committed to pursuing a successful outcome to the 2010 NPT Review Cycle.  At the second NPT Preparatory Committee meeting held in Geneva from 28 April to 10 May this year, Australia articulated its desire to work with all states to advance the common goals of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.  As noted in (5), the Prime Minister has announced the establishment of an International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament.

(11)   (a) The Government will continue to advocate the lowering of the operational readiness of nuclear weapons in its bilateral contacts with states possessing nuclear arsenals and in multilateral fora such as the United Nations First Committee and the NPT review process; (b) See the answers to (2), to (5) above.