AUSTRALIA - THAILAND JOINT STATEMENT ON
TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND IT

5 July 2004
100/04

Australia continues to build on its history of cooperation with our Asian-Pacific neighbours with today's signing of a Joint Statement on telecommunications and information technology with Thailand.

I was pleased to sign the Joint Statement in Canberra today with the Thai Minister of Information and Communications, Mr Surapong Suebwonglee.

Thailand and Australia are both active members of the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Both countries are committed to developing competitive telecommunications sectors in order to increase trade and investment and to stimulate growth in telecommunications access and services.

The Joint Statement will encourage cooperation between Australia and Thailand in the following areas:

• exchanging information on telecommunications policy and regulatory matters and on the application of information technology;

• exchanging knowledge about participation in the activities of specialised international organisations;

• cooperating on implementation of the APEC Telecommunications and Information Working Group Mutual Recognition Arrangement; and

• exchanging information about anti-spam policies and strategies, security issues and other identified areas of interest to both sides.

The Howard Government's approach to spam is a multi-layered strategy that includes technical countermeasures, domestic anti-spam legislation, user awareness programs, and the active participation of industry bodies.

A critical component of Australia's strategy is to establish sound partnerships with other nations to combat spam.

Just yesterday I announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom that will enable each country's anti-spam enforcement agencies to share information and cooperate in investigating cross-border spamming activities.

Today's Joint Statement with Thailand further supports Australia's plan to pursue bilateral and multilateral agreements against spam. I welcome the opportunity it provides for our two countries to share information about anti-spam strategies and policies.


Media Contact: Carina Tan-Van Baren (02) 6277 7480 or 0439 425 373