INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION ACT 1974

This compilation was prepared on 10 July 2008
taking into account amendments up to Act No. 73 of 2008

The text of any of those amendments not in force
on that date is appended in the Notes section

The operation of amendments that have been incorporated may be
affected by application provisions that are set out in the Notes section

Prepared by the Office of Legislative Drafting and Publishing,
Attorney‑General's Department, Canberra

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

Part II--Enforcement of foreign awards 2

3............ Interpretation ...................................................................................... 2

7............ Enforcement of foreign arbitration agreements ................................... 3

8............ Recognition of foreign awards ............................................................ 4

9............ Evidence of awards and arbitration agreements .................................. 6

10.......... Evidence relating to Convention ......................................................... 6

10A....... Delegation by Secretary to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 7

12.......... Effect of this Part on other laws ......................................................... 7

13.......... Judiciary Act ...................................................................................... 8

14.......... Application of Part ............................................................................. 8

Part III--International Commercial Arbitration 9

Division 1--Preliminary 9

15.......... Interpretation ...................................................................................... 9

Division 2--Model Law 10

16.......... Model Law to have force of law ....................................................... 10

17.......... Interpretation of Model Law--use of extrinsic material .................. 10

18.......... Courts specified for purposes of Article 6 of Model Law ............... 10

19.......... Articles 34 and 36 of Model Law--public policy ........................... 11

20.......... Chapter VIII of Model Law not to apply in certain cases ............... 11

21.......... Settlement of dispute otherwise than in accordance with Model Law 11

Division 3--Optional provisions 12

22.......... Application of optional provisions .................................................. 12

23.......... Orders under Article 17 of the Model Law ...................................... 12

24.......... Consolidation of arbitral proceedings ............................................... 12

25.......... Interest up to making of award ......................................................... 14

26.......... Interest on debt under award ............................................................ 14

27.......... Costs ................................................................................................. 14

Division 4--Miscellaneous 16

28.......... Liability of arbitrator ........................................................................ 16

29.......... Representation in proceedings .......................................................... 16

30.......... Application of Part ........................................................................... 17

Part IV--Application of the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States 18

Division 1--Preliminary 18

31.......... Interpretation .................................................................................... 18

Division 2--Investment Convention 19

32.......... Application of Investment Convention to Australia ........................ 19

33.......... Award is binding ............................................................................... 19

34.......... Investment Convention awards to prevail over other laws .............. 19

35.......... Recognition of awards ...................................................................... 19

Division 3--Miscellaneous 20

36.......... Evidence relating to Investment Convention .................................... 20

37.......... Representation in proceedings .......................................................... 20

38.......... Judiciary Act .................................................................................... 20

Schedule 1--United Nations Conference on International Commercial Arbitration Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards 22

Schedule 2--UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration (as adopted by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law on 21 June 1985) 28

Schedule 3--Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes Between States and Nationals of Other States 44

Notes 67

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.

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	--

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
Part II
Heading to Part II.................	ad. No. 25, 1989
S. 3......................................	am. No. 25, 1989
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
S. 9......................................	am. No. 25, 1989; No. 73, 2008
S. 10....................................	am. No. 25, 1989; No. 62, 2004
S. 10A.................................	ad. No. 141, 1987
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
Division 2
Ss. 16--21............................	ad. No. 25, 1989
Division 3
Ss. 22--27............................	ad. No. 25, 1989
Division 4
Ss. 28--30............................	ad. No. 25, 1989
Part IV
Part IV ................................	ad. No. 107, 1990
Division 1
S. 31....................................	ad. No. 107, 1990
Division 2
Ss. 32--35............................	ad. No. 107, 1990
Division 3
Ss. 33--38............................	ad. No. 107, 1990
Schedules
Heading to Schedule...........	rep. No. 25, 1989
Heading to Schedule 1........	ad. No. 25, 1989
Schedule 2..........................	ad. No. 25, 1989
Schedule 3..........................	ad. No. 107, 1990

* Article headings are for reference purposes only and are not to be used for purposes of interpretation.

* * The term "commercial" should be given a wide interpretation so as to cover matters arising from all relationships of a commercial nature, whether contractual or not. Relationships of a commercial nature include, but are not limited to, the following transactions: any trade transaction for the supply or exchange of goods or services; distribution agreement; commercial representation or agency; factoring; leasing; construction of works; consulting; engineering; licensing; investment; financing; banking; insurance; exploitation agreement or concession; joint venture and other forms of industrial or business co-operation; carriage of goods or passengers by air, sea, rail or road.

* ** The conditions set forth in this paragraph are intended to set maximum standards. It would, thus, not be contrary to the harmonization to be achieved by the model law if a State retained even less onerous conditions.

Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION ACT 1974 - NOTES