Contents

Part I--Preliminary                                                                                                               1

1............ Short title of Principal Act [see Note 1] .............................................. 1

2............ Commencement [see Note 1] .............................................................. 1

2A......... Territories ............................................................................................ 1

2B......... Crown to be bound ............................................................................. 1

2C......... Carriage of goods by sea ..................................................................... 1

2D......... Objects of this Act .............................................................................. 2

Part II--Enforcement of foreign awards                                                                 3

3............ Interpretation ....................................................................................... 3

7............ Enforcement of foreign arbitration agreements .................................... 4

8............ Recognition of foreign awards ............................................................ 5

9............ Evidence of awards and arbitration agreements ................................... 8

10.......... Evidence relating to Convention .......................................................... 9

10A....... Delegation by Secretary of the Foreign Affairs Department ............... 9

12.......... Effect of this Part on other laws ........................................................ 10

13.......... Judiciary Act ..................................................................................... 10

14.......... Application of Part ............................................................................ 10

Part III--International Commercial Arbitration                                              11

Division 1--Preliminary                                                                                             11

15.......... Interpretation ..................................................................................... 11

Division 2--Model Law                                                                                              12

16.......... Model Law to have force of law ....................................................... 12

17.......... Interpretation of Model Law--use of extrinsic material .................... 12

18.......... Court or authority taken to have been specified in Article 6 of the Model Law         12

18A....... Article 12--justifiable doubts as to the impartiality or independence of an arbitrator                13

18B....... Article 17B--preliminary orders ....................................................... 13

18C....... Article 18--reasonable opportunity to present case .......................... 13

19.......... Articles 17I, 34 and 36 of Model Law--public policy ...................... 14

20.......... Chapter VIII of Model Law not to apply in certain cases .................. 14

21.......... Model Law covers the field ............................................................... 14

Division 3--Additional provisions                                                                        15

22.......... Application of additional provisions ................................................. 15

22A....... Interpretation ..................................................................................... 16

23.......... Parties may obtain subpoenas ........................................................... 16

23A....... Failure to assist arbitral tribunal ........................................................ 17

23B....... Default by party to an arbitration agreement ...................................... 18

23C....... Disclosure of confidential information .............................................. 19

23D....... Circumstances in which confidential information may be disclosed .. 19

23E........ Arbitral tribunal may allow disclosure in certain circumstances ........ 21

23F........ Court may prohibit disclosure in certain circumstances ..................... 21

23G....... Court may allow disclosure in certain circumstances ........................ 22

23H....... Death of a party to an arbitration agreement ...................................... 22

23J........ Evidence ............................................................................................ 23

23K....... Security for costs .............................................................................. 23

24.......... Consolidation of arbitral proceedings ................................................ 24

25.......... Interest up to making of award .......................................................... 25

26.......... Interest on debt under award ............................................................. 25

27.......... Costs ................................................................................................. 26

Division 4--Miscellaneous                                                                                        28

28.......... Immunity ........................................................................................... 28

29.......... Representation in proceedings ........................................................... 28

30.......... Application of Part ............................................................................ 29

30A....... Severability ....................................................................................... 29

Part IV--Application of the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States                                                                              30

Division 1--Preliminary                                                                                             30

31.......... Interpretation ..................................................................................... 30

Division 2--Investment Convention                                                                    31

32.......... Application of Investment Convention to Australia .......................... 31

33.......... Award is binding .............................................................................. 31

34.......... Investment Convention awards to prevail over other laws ................ 31

35.......... Recognition of awards ...................................................................... 31

Division 3--Miscellaneous                                                                                        32

36.......... Evidence relating to Investment Convention ..................................... 32

37.......... Representation in proceedings ........................................................... 32

38.......... Judiciary Act ..................................................................................... 32

Part V--General matters                                                                                                 34

39.......... Matters to which court must have regard .......................................... 34

40.......... Regulations ....................................................................................... 35

Schedule 1--United Nations Conference on International Commercial Arbitration Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards   36

Schedule 2--UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration (As adopted by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law on 21 June 1985, and as amended by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law on 7 July 2006)                 42

Schedule 3--Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes Between States and Nationals of Other States                                                                                                           68

Notes                                                                                                                                              91

An Act relating to the recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards, and the conduct of international commercial arbitrations, in Australia, and for related purposes

  

Notes to the International Arbitration Act 1974

Note 1

The International Arbitration Act 1974 as shown in this compilation comprises Act No. 136, 1974 amended as indicated in the Tables below.

All relevant information pertaining to application, saving or transitional provisions prior to 6 July 2010 is not included in this compilation. For subsequent information see Table A.

Table of Acts

Act	Number and year	Date of Assent	Date of commencement	Application, saving or transitional provisions
Arbitration (Foreign Awards and Agreements) Act 1974	136, 1974	9 Dec 1974	Ss. 1-3: Royal Assent Remainder: 24 June 1975 (see Gazette 1975, No. G24, p. 2)
Jurisdiction of Courts (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 1979	19, 1979	28 Mar 1979	Parts II-XVII (ss. 3-123): 15 May 1979 (see Gazette 1979, No. S86) Remainder: Royal Assent	S. 124
Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1987	141, 1987	18 Dec 1987	S. 3: Royal Assent (a)	S. 5(1)
International Arbitration Amendment Act 1989	25, 1989	15 May 1989	12 June 1989	--
ICSID Implementation Act 1990	107, 1990	18 Dec 1990	Parts 2 and 3 (ss. 3-8): 1 June 1991 (see s. 2(2) and Gazette 1991, No. S98) Remainder: Royal Assent	--
Carriage of Goods by Sea Act 1991	160, 1991	31 Oct 1991	S. 21: Royal Assent (b)	--
Law and Justice Legislation Amendment Act 2004	62, 2004	26 May 2004	Schedule 1 (items 40-42): 27 May 2004	--
Statute Law Revision Act 2008	73, 2008	3 July 2008	Schedule 4 (items 348-350): 4 July 2008	--
Federal Justice System Amendment (Efficiency Measures) Act (No. 1) 2009	122, 2009	7 Dec 2009	Schedule 2: Royal Assent	--
International Arbitration Amendment Act 2010	97, 2010	6 July 2010	Schedule 1 (items 6, 25): (c) Schedule 1 (item 8): 7 Dec 2009 (see s. 2(1)) Remainder: Royal Assent	Sch. 1 (items 28-35) [see Table A]
Statute Law Revision Act 2011	5, 2011	22 Mar 2011	Schedule 6 (items 67, 68) and Schedule 7 (items 77-79): 19 Apr 2011	--

(a)     The International Arbitration Act 1974 was amended by section 3 only of the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1987, subsection 2(1) of which provides as follows:

                 (1)   Subject to this section, this Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

(b)     The International Arbitration Act 1974 was amended by section 21 only of the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act 1991, subsection 2(1) of which provides as follows:

                 (1)   Subject to subsection (2), this Act commences on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

(c)     Subsection 2(1) (items 3 and 9) of the International Arbitration Amendment Act 2010 provides as follows:

                 (1)   Each provision of this Act specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.

 

Commencement information
Column 1	Column 2	Column 3
Provision(s)	Commencement	Date/Details
3.  Schedule 1, item 6	Immediately after the commencement of Schedule 2 to the Federal Justice System Amendment (Efficiency Measures) Act (No. 1) 2009.	7 December 2009
9.  Schedule 1, item 25	Immediately after the commencement of Schedule 2 to the Federal Justice System Amendment (Efficiency Measures) Act (No. 1) 2009.	7 December 2009

Table of Amendments

ad. = added or inserted     am. = amended     rep. = repealed     rs. = repealed and substituted
Provision affected	How affected
Title.....................................	rs. No. 25, 1989
Part I
Heading to Part I...............	ad. No. 25, 1989
S. 1......................................	am. No. 25, 1989
S. 2......................................	am. No. 62, 2004
Ss. 2A, 2B...........................	ad. No. 25, 1989
S. 2C...................................	ad. No. 25, 1989
	rs. No. 160, 1991
S. 2D...................................	ad. No. 97, 2010
Part II
Heading to Part II..............	ad. No. 25, 1989
S. 3......................................	am. No. 25, 1989; No. 122, 2009; No. 97, 2010; No. 5, 2011
S. 4......................................	rep. No. 62, 2004
Ss. 5, 6................................	rep. No. 25, 1989
S. 7......................................	am. No. 25, 1989
S. 8......................................	am. No. 19, 1979; No. 25, 1989; No. 73, 2008; No. 122, 2009; No. 97, 2010
S. 9......................................	am. No. 25, 1989; No. 73, 2008
S. 10....................................	am. No. 25, 1989; No. 62, 2004; No. 5, 2011
Heading to s. 10A..............	am. No. 5, 2011
S. 10A.................................	ad. No. 141, 1987
	am. No. 5, 2011
S. 11....................................	rep. No. 25, 1989
Ss. 12-14............................	am. No. 25, 1989
Part III
Part III ................................	ad. No. 25, 1989
Division 1
S. 15....................................	ad. No. 25, 1989
	am. No. 97, 2010
Division 2
S. 16....................................	ad. No. 25, 1989
	am. No. 97, 2010
S. 17....................................	ad. No. 25, 1989
S. 18....................................	ad. No. 25, 1989
	am. No. 122, 2009
	rs. No. 97, 2010
Ss. 18A-18C.......................	ad. No. 97, 2010
S. 19....................................	ad. No. 25, 1989
	rs. No. 97, 2010
S. 20....................................	ad. No. 25, 1989
S. 21....................................	ad. No. 25, 1989
	rs. No. 97, 2010
Division 3
Heading to Div. 3 of Part III.....................................	rs. No. 97, 2010
S. 22....................................	ad. No. 25, 1989
	rs. No. 97, 2010
S. 22A.................................	ad. No. 97, 2010
S. 23....................................	ad. No. 25, 1989
	rs. No. 97, 2010
Ss. 23A-23H.......................	ad. No. 97, 2010
Ss. 23J, 23K.......................	ad. No. 97, 2010
S. 24....................................	ad. No. 25, 1989
S. 25....................................	ad. No. 25, 1989
	am. No. 97, 2010
S. 26....................................	ad. No. 25, 1989
	rs. No. 97, 2010
S. 27....................................	ad. No. 25, 1989
	am. No. 97, 2010
Division 4
S. 28....................................	ad. No. 25, 1989
	rs. No. 97, 2010
Ss. 29, 30............................	ad. No. 25, 1989
S. 30A.................................	ad. No. 97, 2010
Part IV
Part IV ................................	ad. No. 107, 1990
Division 1
S. 31....................................	ad. No. 107, 1990
	am. No. 5, 2011
Division 2
Ss. 32-34............................	ad. No. 107, 1990
S. 35....................................	ad. No. 107, 1990
	am. No. 122, 2009; No. 97, 2010
Division 3
Ss. 36-38............................	ad. No. 107, 1990
Part V
Part V..................................	ad. No. 97, 2010
Ss. 39, 40............................	ad. No. 97, 2010
Schedules
Heading to Schedule........	rep. No. 25, 1989
Heading to Schedule 1.....	ad. No. 25, 1989
Schedule 2.........................	ad. No. 25, 1989
	rs. No. 97, 2010
Schedule 3.........................	ad. No. 107, 1990

Table A

Application, saving or transitional provisions

International Arbitration Amendment Act 2010 (No. 97, 2010)

Schedule 1

28  Application of items 2 to 4

The amendments made by items 2 to 4 of this Schedule apply in relation to agreements entered into on or after the commencement of those items.

29  Application of items 5 to 9

(1)       The amendments made by items 5, 7 and 9 of this Schedule apply in relation to proceedings to enforce a foreign award brought on or after the commencement of those items.

(2)       The amendment made by item 6 of this Schedule applies in relation to proceedings to enforce a foreign award brought on or after the commencement of that item.

(3)       The amendment made by item 8 of this Schedule applies in relation to proceedings to enforce a foreign award brought on or after the commencement of that item.

30  Application of item 10

The amendment made by item 10 of this Schedule applies whether the proceedings are adjourned before or after the commencement of that item.

31  Application of item 14

(1)       The amendment made by item 14 of this Schedule, to the extent that it relates to Article 12(1) of the Model Law, applies in relation to an approach on or after the commencement of that item in connection with a possible appointment of a person as arbitrator.

(2)       The amendment made by item 14 of this Schedule, to the extent that it relates to Article 12(2) of the Model Law, applies in relation to a person acting as arbitrator on or after the commencement of that item.

32  Application of items 18 to 23

(1)       The amendments made by items 18 to 23 of this Schedule apply in relation to arbitration agreements entered into on or after the commencement of those items.

(2)       To avoid doubt, subitem (1) does not prevent the parties to an arbitration agreement entered into before the commencement of those items from making an agreement, after that commencement, in accordance with section 22 of the International Arbitration Act 1974, in relation to any provision inserted or amended by items 18 to 23 of this Schedule.

33  Application of items 24 and 25

(1)       The amendment made by item 24 of this Schedule applies in relation to proceedings to enforce an award brought on or after the commencement of that item.

(2)       The amendment made by item 25 of this Schedule applies in relation to proceedings to enforce an award brought on or after the commencement of that item.

34  Application of item 26

The amendment made by item 26 of this Schedule applies in relation to:

                     (a)  the exercise of a power; or

                     (b)  the performance of a function; or

                     (c)  the interpretation of this Act; or

                     (d)  the interpretation of the Model Law; or

                     (e)  the interpretation of an agreement or award;

on or after the commencement of that item.

35  Definitions

In this Part:

foreign award has the same meaning as in Part II of the International Arbitration Act 1974.

Model Law has the same meaning as in Part III of that Act.