Submission on Australia’s Foreign Relations (State and Territory Arrangements) Amendment Bill 2026

The Australian Local Government Association has lodged a submission on the exposure draft of the Australia’s Foreign Relations (State and Territory Arrangements) Amendment Bill 2026 (the Bill).

ALGA welcomes amendments that simplify compliance for councils, including:
•   reduced notification and approval requirements for renewals or variations of previously approved core arrangements (for example, extending the term of an existing agreement or making minor administrative changes);
•   streamlined treatment of non-core foreign arrangements, which typically include routine, low-risk council partnerships such as sister-city, cultural, community and educational arrangements;
•   removal of proposed or expired arrangements from the public register, improving accuracy and usability; and
•   a one-step notification process for entered non-core arrangements.