{"id":"F1998B00233","name":"International Rice Research Institute (Privileges and Immunities) Regulations 1998","slug":"international-rice-research-institute-privileges-and-immunities-regulations-1998","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":"252 of 1998","makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":30192,"registerId":"commonwealth-F1998B00233-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-01","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"International Rice Research Institute (Privileges and Immunities) Regulations 1998","content":"![](image.001.png)\n\nStatutory Rules 1998 No. 2521\n\n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\n\nInternational Rice Research Institute (Privileges and Immunities) Regulations 1998\n\nI, WILLIAM PATRICK DEANE, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, make the following Regulations under the International Organisations (Privileges and Immunities) Act 1963.\n\nDated 30 July 1998.\n\nWILLIAM DEANE  \nGovernor-General\n\nBy His Excellency’s Command,\n\nALEXANDER DOWNER\n\nMinister for Foreign Affairs\n\n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\n\nName of Regulations\n\n1. These Regulations are the International Rice Research Institute (Privileges and Immunities) Regulations 1998.\n\n  \nCommencement\n\n2. These Regulations take effect from a day specified in a determination made by the Minister under subsection 13 (2) of the International Organisations (Privileges and Immunities) Act 1963.\n\nDefinition\n\n3. In these Regulations:\n\n> International Rice Research Institute means the organisation of that name provided for by the Agreement Recognizing the International Legal Personality of the International Rice Research Institute done at Manila on 19 May 1995.\n\nLegal capacity and personality\n\n4. The International Rice Research Institute:\n\n(a) is a body corporate with perpetual succession; and\n\n(b) is capable, in its corporate name:\n\n(i) of entering into contracts; and\n\n(ii) of acquiring, holding and disposing of real and personal property; and\n\n(iii) of suing and being sued.\n\n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\n\n> Note: NOTE\n\n> Note: 1. Notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 6 August 1998.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"These Regulations implement recognition of IRRI's legal personality and basic corporate capacities in Australia consistent with the 1995 Agreement. They do not expand beyond that original, narrow purpose: they do not create additional privileges or immunities in the text, nor do they add regulatory obligations. Any broader effects (for example, specific immunities, tax treatment, or procedural consequences) arise from the enabling Act and the international Agreement, not from this instrument. Therefore the instrument has not grown significantly beyond its original intent."},"complexity_factors":["Only 4 Regulations (sections): name, commencement, definition, legal capacity","1 defined term in the instrument (\"International Rice Research Institute\")","Cross-references to the International Organisations (Privileges and Immunities) Act 1963 (for commencement and legal effect)","Cross-reference to an external international Agreement (19 May 1995, Manila) for the identity and legal basis of the organisation","Limited conditionality: commencement subject to a Ministerial determination under s13(2) of the Act","No nested exceptions or complex schedules; single provision (Regulation 4) lists three straightforward capacities"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this regulation does (mechanically)**\n\n- This statutory instrument gives the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) a recognised legal form in Australia. It does that by declaring IRRI to be a \"body corporate\" with perpetual existence and by listing the basic powers it has here: to enter contracts, to own or sell land and goods, and to sue or be sued (Regulation 4).\n- It defines which organisation is meant by the name \"International Rice Research Institute\" — the one created by the 19 May 1995 Agreement in Manila (Regulation 3).\n- The Regulations come into force on a day chosen by the Minister, using a power in the International Organisations (Privileges and Immunities) Act 1963 (Regulation 2).\n\n**Who is directly affected**\n\n- The IRRI: it gains a clear legal identity and the capacity to act in Australia as a corporate entity (Regulation 4).\n- Private persons and businesses who contract with, sell to, lease to, or litigate against IRRI: they will deal with IRRI as a corporate legal person able to hold property and enter contracts.\n- The Australian Government: the instrument is made under the International Organisations (Privileges and Immunities) Act 1963 and therefore interacts with any immunities or privileges available under that Act and the underlying international Agreement.\n\n**Why it matters (official claim and practical effects)**\n\n- Officially, the Regulations implement the international Agreement that recognises IRRI's international legal personality. That means Australia is declaring the organisation has the sort of legal standing needed to operate effectively here (Regulation 3 and 4).\n\nPractical implications and trade-offs:\n\n- Behaviour changes: IRRI can transact in Australia in its own name (sign contracts, buy or sell property), and it can be a party to court proceedings. That makes commercial and administrative dealings simpler because counterparties can treat IRRI like any other corporation (Regulation 4).\n- Who decides timing: the Minister determines when the Regulations start to operate, so the commencement date is an executive decision using the statutory power in the enabling Act (Regulation 2).\n- Costs and incentives: granting corporate capacity lowers friction for IRRI to operate (reduces transaction costs). If the enabling Act (and the international Agreement) grant immunities, some legal remedies against IRRI may be limited; that is a trade-off between facilitating an international organisation's functions and preserving ordinary legal remedies for private parties. The Regulations themselves do not list any specific immunities — those are dealt with by the Act and the Agreement that the Regulations implement.\n- Implementation and compliance burden: administrative burden is low. The instrument mainly records recognition of legal personality and does not create detailed new regulatory obligations.\n- Effects on private choice and markets: by making IRRI a corporate legal person in Australia, the Regulations simplify commercial interactions. Any effect on competition or prices would depend on IRRI's activities in Australia; the instrument only provides the legal capacity to act.\n\n**Mechanisms and sources of legal effect**\n\n- The Regulations are made under the International Organisations (Privileges and Immunities) Act 1963; that Act supplies the authority and sets out the civil and administrative consequences of recognising international organisations (see Regulation 2 and the instrument’s preamble).\n- The detailed content of any privileges or immunities that apply to IRRI would be governed by the enabling Act and the 1995 Agreement referenced in the definition (Regulation 3). The Regulations themselves principally establish corporate status and basic legal capacities (Regulation 4).\n\n**Shortnote on limitations**\n\n- This instrument is short and narrowly focused: it declares legal personality and lists a few standard corporate powers. It does not itself detail tax treatment, employment arrangements, or specific immunities; those items come from the enabling Act and the international Agreement cited.\n\n(References: Regulation 1 — name; Regulation 2 — commencement; Regulation 3 — definition of IRRI; Regulation 4 — legal capacity and personality.)"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The regulations precisely match their original intent: to implement the 1995 Manila Agreement conferring legal personality on IRRI. The scope is narrow and technical, limited to granting standard corporate capacities. There is no evidence of scope creep or expansion beyond the original purpose of enabling the organisation to operate legally in Australia."},"complexity_factors":["Extremely short: only 4 operative provisions plus commencement machinery","Single defined term ('International Rice Research Institute')","No cross-references to other legislation beyond the enabling Act citation","No conditional logic, exceptions, or nested provisions","Standard corporate powers formula copied directly from template legislation","No substantive policy complexity—purely mechanical implementation of international agreement"],"plain_english_summary":"These regulations give special legal status to the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Australia. IRRI is a global agricultural research organisation focused on rice production, originally established in the Philippines.\n\n**What this does:**\n- **Grants corporate status**: IRRI becomes a legal 'person' under Australian law, separate from its individual members or staff\n- **Gives legal powers**: IRRI can sign contracts, buy and sell property, and take legal action (or be sued) in its own name\n- **Provides continuity**: The organisation continues to exist even if its leadership or membership changes (\"perpetual succession\")\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- The International Rice Research Institute itself\n- Anyone doing business with IRRI in Australia (contracts, property deals, legal disputes)\n- Australian courts handling cases involving IRRI\n\n**Why it matters:**\nWithout this status, international organisations can't easily operate in Australia—they'd lack legal standing to lease offices, hire staff, or conduct research activities. This ensures IRRI can function effectively on Australian soil, supporting international agricultural research collaboration. The regulations are made under a 1963 Act that provides a standard framework for extending these privileges to international bodies."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/international-rice-research-institute-privileges-and-immunities-regulations-1998","history":"/api/acts/international-rice-research-institute-privileges-and-immunities-regulations-1998/history","analysis":"/api/acts/international-rice-research-institute-privileges-and-immunities-regulations-1998/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/international-rice-research-institute-privileges-and-immunities-regulations-1998/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/international-rice-research-institute-privileges-and-immunities-regulations-1998/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/international-rice-research-institute-privileges-and-immunities-regulations-1998/documents"}}