THE HON MARK DREYFUS QC MP
Attorney-General
Minister for Emergency Management
Special Minister of State
Minister for the Public Service and Integrity
MEDIA RELEASE
ATTORNEY-GENERAL WELCOMES OUTCOMES OF QUINTET MEETING
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus MP QC has today concluded meetings in Auckland with Attorneys-General from New Zealand, Canada, the United States and United Kingdom.
The goal of the Quintet meetings is to share relevant experience and knowledge, and improve cooperation on complex and cross-border legal issues.
The Quintet of Attorneys General declared that rape and other forms of serious sexual violence in armed conflict are war crimes and also constitute grave breaches as defined in the Geneva Conventions and their first Protocol.
In doing so, Mr Dreyfus and his Quintet counterparts reaffirmed the recent Declaration on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict made by G8 Foreign Ministers on 11 April 2013.
"There should be no safe haven for perpetrators of sexual violence in armed conflict," Mr Dreyfus said.
"Alleged perpetrators must be held to account, and this was reflected in the G8's Declaration."
"Australia looks forward to working in partnership with G8 Chair the United Kingdom and others during our UN Security Council term in 2013-4 to strengthen the Council's efforts to address sexual violence."
Each Quintet meeting includes a major topic and this year's focus was on the prosecution of crimes of sexual violence against women and children. Mr Dreyfus updated his counterparts on the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
A broad range of other topics were discussed.
Mr Dreyfus made a presentation to his counterparts on International legal cooperation in civil and commercial matters.
"Better cooperation amongst our legal systems is important because it offers long term benefits to trade and investment," Mr Dreyfus said.
"It also leads to clearer, less complex and more compatible laws that would significantly improve access to justice and strengthen the rule of law."
Attorneys General also discussed the importance of cooperation on combatting cybercrime and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the European Convention on Cybercrime, which Australia acceded to earlier this year.
"The Government has strongly supported the Quintet annual meetings since their foundation in 2009 and I am pleased with the outcome today," Mr Dreyfus said.
The next meeting will be hosted by the United Kingdom in 2014.
THURSDAY, 9 MAY 2013
