Assistant Minister Malarndirri McCarthy stated, “Australia has its own sovereignty in regards to making policy decisions around health for Australians.”
The claim that Australia would lose its sovereignty under the pandemic treaty has been addressed, as the government has confirmed that it will retain control over its own policy decisions. Members of the Department of Health and Aged Care informed the Senate that the World Health Organisation does not have the legal authority to force member states to adopt its recommendations. Malarndirri McCarthy reiterated this during a Senate Estimates session on Feb. 15, affirming that Australia’s sovereignty when it comes to making health policy decisions remains intact.
During the questioning from One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts, concerns were raised about the potential impact of the International Health Regulations (IHR) amendments on Australian sovereignty. Sen. Roberts pointed out that the wording of the UN’s Pandemic Preparedness Treaty draft raises uncertainty about Australian sovereignty being diminished.
However, Blair Exell, deputy secretary for health strategy, explained that the draft documents reference the protection of sovereignty and emphasized that the WHO Working Groups are led by member states and the participation is also by member states. Despite this, Sen. Roberts’ concerns persisted.
This development comes in the wake of the imminent deadline for UN member states, including Australia and New Zealand, to adopt the UN’s Pandemic Preparedness Treaty by May 2024. New Zealand plans to introduce a national interest test for any prospective agreements with the United Nations, in order to safeguard its national sovereignty.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, has urged countries to sign the pandemic treaty in preparation for “Disease X.” Despite these appeals, skepticism remains, particularly from Republican lawmakers in the United States who believe that the treaty could undermine national sovereignty. The deadline for the treaty to be signed is fast approaching.