2nd Dec 2020, 12:15 PM – Senate Australia's Foreign Relations (State and Territory Arrangements) Bill 2020 and another - in Committee - Definition of "foreign relations"

The majority voted against amendment (1) on sheet 1078, moved by Victorian Senator [Janet Rice](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/senate/victoria/janet_rice (Greens), which means it failed.

What did this amendment do?

Senator Rice explained that:

This amendment is to define what 'foreign relations' means in the bill. A consistent theme throughout all the discussion and debate we have had on this bill is that key terms and definitions are undefined or poorly defined. This is a very simple amendment. We think it would have been a pretty obvious thing to include a definition of foreign relations. We hope that it's a useful one that will provide clarity in the legislation about, indeed, the extent of what is covered by this legislation.

Amendment text

(1) Clause 4, page 5 (after line 3), after the definition of Australia's foreign policy, insert:

Australia ' s foreign relations means the relationship between Australia and foreign countries arising out of their dealings with each other.