The Joint Standing Committee on Treaties (JSCOT) will hold a public hearing for its inquiry into the Agreement between Australia and the Kingdom of Spain for the Mutual Protection of Classified Information of Defence Interest at 11.20am on 22 June 2026.
The Committee will examine whether the Agreement ensures classified information shared between Australia and Spain is used appropriately, and why the 2012 treaty of the same name has become outdated. The Committee will also examine if this Agreement establishes reciprocal obligations for protecting classified defence information, including rules governing the access, transfer, use and disclosure of this information and the mechanisms for security incident reporting, inspections and visits, while not obliging either party to share classified information.
Committee Chair, Ms Lisa Chesters MP, said, ‘Australia’s growing defence relationship with Spain is increasingly important. Our collaboration across various projects contributes to Australia’s defence capabilities, and it is essential that the exchange of classified information underpinning that cooperation is properly safeguarded.’
‘The Committee wants to understand not just how the Agreement works on paper, but how risks will be managed in real‑world settings—particularly where contractors, subcontractors and international partners are involved.’
The Committee will hear evidence from the Department of Defence and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade at the public hearing.
Public hearing details
Date: Monday, 22 June 2026
Time: 11:20am – 12.30pm AEST (approximately)
Location: Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House Canberra
The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.
