{"id":"C1952A00006","name":"Security Treaty (Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America) Act 1952","slug":"security-treaty-australia-new-zealand-and-the-united-states-of-america-act-1952","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":"6 of 1952","makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":1059,"registerId":"C1952A00006","compilationNumber":"0","startDate":"1952-03-13","status":"InForce","reasons":[],"registeredAt":"2013-01-23T21:01:34.617Z"},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Security Treaty (Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America) Act 1952","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![](image.001.png)\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nSecurity Treaty (Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America) Act 1952\n\n \n\nNo. 6 of 1952\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nAn Act to approve the Security Treaty between Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\n[1 Short title](#_Toc427157472)\n\n[2 Approval of Security Treaty](#_Toc427157473)\n\n[The Schedule—Security Treaty between Australia, New Zealand, and the United States of America](#_Toc427157474)\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n![](image.001.png)\n\n \n\n \n\nSecurity Treaty (Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America) Act 1952\n\nNo. 6 of 1952\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nAn Act to approve the Security Treaty between Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America\n\n[Assented to 13 March 1952]\n\nThe Parliament of Australia enacts:\n\n1  Short title\n\n  This Act may be cited as the Security Treaty (Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America) Act 1952.\n\n2  Approval of Security Treaty\n\n  The Security Treaty between Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America signed at San Francisco on the first day of September, One Thousand nine hundred and fifty-one (being the Treaty set out in the Schedule to this Act), is approved.\n\nThe Schedule—Security Treaty between Australia, New Zealand, and the United States of America\n\nSection 2\n\n \n\n \n\nThe Parties to this Treaty,\n\nReaffirming their faith in the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and their desire to live in peace with all peoples and all Governments, and desiring to strengthen the fabric of peace in the Pacific Area,\n\nNoting that the United States already has arrangements pursuant to which its armed forces are stationed in the Philippines, and has armed forces and administrative responsibilities in the Ryukyus, and upon the coming into force of the Japanese Peace Treaty may also station armed forces in and about Japan to assist in the preservation of peace and security in the Japan Area,\n\nRecognizing that Australia and New Zealand as members of the British Commonwealth of Nations have military obligations outside as well as within the Pacific Area,\n\nDesiring to declare publicly and formally their sense of unity, so that no potential aggressor could be under the illusion that any of them stand alone in the Pacific Area, and\n\nDesiring further to coordinate their efforts for collective defense for the preservation of peace and security pending the development of a more comprehensive system of regional security in the Pacific Area,\n\nTherefore declare and agree as follows:\n\nARTICLE  I\n\nThe Parties undertake, as set forth in the Charter of the United Nations, to settle any international disputes in which they may be involved by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security and justice are not endangered and to refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force in any manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations.\n\nARTICLE  II\n\nIn order more effectively to achieve the objective of this Treaty the Parties separately and jointly by means of continuous and effective self-help and mutual aid will maintain and develop their individual and collective capacity to resist armed attack.\n\nARTICLE  III\n\nThe Parties will consult together whenever in the opinion of any of them the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the Parties is threatened in the Pacific.\n\nARTICLE  IV\n\nEach Party recognizes that an armed attack in the Pacific Area on any of the Parties would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declares that it would act to meet the common danger in accordance with its constitutional processes.\n\nAny such armed attack and all measures taken as a result thereof shall be immediately reported to the Security Council of the United Nations. Such measures shall be terminated when the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to restore and maintain international peace and security.\n\nARTICLE  V\n\nFor the purpose of Article IV, an armed attack on any of the Parties is deemed to include an armed attack on the metropolitan territory of any of the Parties, or on the island territories under its jurisdiction in the Pacific or on its armed forces, public vessels or aircraft in the Pacific.\n\nARTICLE  VI\n\nThis Treaty does not affect and shall not be interpreted as affecting in any way the rights and obligations of the Parties under the Charter of the United Nations or the responsibility of the United Nations for the maintenance of international peace and security.\n\nARTICLE  VII\n\nThe Parties hereby establish a Council, consisting of their Foreign Ministers or their Deputies, to consider matters concerning the implementation of this Treaty. The Council should be so organized as to be able to meet at any time.\n\nARTICLE  VIII\n\nPending the development of a more comprehensive system of regional security in the Pacific Area and the development by the United Nations of more effective means to maintain international peace and security, the Council, established by Article VII, is authorized to maintain a consultative relationship with States, Regional Organizations, Associations of States or other authorities in the Pacific Area in a position to further the purposes of this Treaty and to contribute to the security of that Area.\n\nARTICLE  IX\n\nThis Treaty shall be ratified by the Parties in accordance with their respective constitutional processes. The instruments of ratification shall be deposited as soon as possible with the Government of Australia, which will notify each of the other signatories of such deposit. The Treaty shall enter into force as soon as the ratifications of the signatories have been deposited.\n\nARTICLE  X\n\nThis Treaty shall remain in force indefinitely. Any Party may cease to be a member of the Council established by Article VII one year after notice has been given to the Government of Australia, which will inform the Governments of the other Parties of the deposit of such notice.\n\nARTICLE  XI\n\nThis Treaty in the English language shall be deposited in the archives of the Government of Australia. Duly certified copies thereof will be transmitted by that Government to the Governments of each of the other signatories.\n\nIN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned Plenipotentiaries have signed this Treaty.\n\nDONE at the city of San Francisco this first day of September, 1951.\n\n| FOR  AUSTRALIA: |\n| --- |\n| PERCY  C.  SPENDER |\n| FOR  NEW  ZEALAND: |\n| C.  A.  BERENDSEN |\n| FOR  THE  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA: |\n| DEAN  ACHESON |\n| JOHN  FOSTER  DULLES |\n| ALEXANDER  WILEY |\n| JOHN  J.  SPARKMAN |\n\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n","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"},"summary":{"complexity_score":1,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This Act has not changed in scope at all since its enactment. It was always intended to do one narrow thing — approve the ANZUS Treaty — and it remains exactly that. No amendments have expanded or altered its purpose. It is a pure ratification instrument (a law that formally approves an international agreement), and it continues to serve precisely that original function."},"complexity_factors":["Only 2 operative sections — a short title clause and a single approval clause","No defined terms whatsoever","No conditional logic, exceptions, or cross-references to other legislation","No enforcement mechanisms, penalties, or regulatory machinery","Substantive content is entirely contained in the scheduled treaty text, not in the Act itself","Plain, direct language with zero legal complexity in the operative provisions"],"plain_english_summary":"The Act gives domestic legal approval to the ANZUS Treaty between Australia, New Zealand and the United States by attaching the treaty text as a Schedule. It binds the Australian government to consult and act with its allies if a party faces armed attack in the Pacific, underpinning Australia’s core defence alliance and longstanding security policy."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains exactly what it was in 1952: a simple approval mechanism for the ANZUS Treaty. It has not acquired additional functions, regulatory schemes, or expanded application over time. The treaty's political significance has grown enormously, but the statute itself remains a bare approval with no subsequent amendments or creeping scope."},"complexity_factors":["Extremely short: only 2 operative sections plus the treaty text in the Schedule","No defined terms section — the treaty terms are used as ordinary English","No cross-references to other legislation","No conditional logic, exceptions, or delegated powers","Single purpose: approval of one specific treaty with no implementation machinery","Treaty text itself is diplomatic prose, not legislative drafting — broad principles rather than technical rules"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this legislation does**\n\nThis Act gives Australia's formal approval to the **ANZUS Treaty** — a security alliance between Australia, New Zealand, and the United States signed in San Francisco in 1951.\n\n**What the treaty actually says**\n\nThe treaty commits the three countries to:\n\n* **Peaceful dispute resolution** — settling international disagreements without threatening force (Article I)\n* **Self-defence and mutual aid** — building up military capacity individually and together (Article II)\n* **Consultation** — talking immediately if any party feels threatened in the Pacific (Article III)\n* **Collective defence** — treating an armed attack on one as dangerous to all, and responding \"in accordance with constitutional processes\" (Article IV)\n* **Geographic scope** — covering attacks on mainland territory, Pacific islands, or military forces/vessels/aircraft in the Pacific (Article V)\n\n**Key features**\n\n* **Not a blank cheque**: Article IV requires each country to respond through its own constitutional processes — meaning Parliament or Congress must be involved\n* **UN compatibility**: The treaty explicitly doesn't override UN obligations (Article VI)\n* **Indefinite duration**: No expiry date, though any country can leave with one year's notice (Article X)\n* **Council mechanism**: Foreign ministers (or deputies) meet as needed to coordinate implementation (Article VII)\n\n**Who it affects**\n\nPrimarily the Australian Government and military. For ordinary Australians, it underpins Australia's most important defence relationship and has shaped foreign policy decisions for over 70 years — from Vietnam to Afghanistan to AUKUS.\n\n**Why it matters**\n\nThis is the **legal foundation of Australia's alliance with the United States**. While often called a \"security guarantee,\" the treaty language is deliberately cautious — each party decides how to respond. The Act itself is purely procedural: Parliament's rubber stamp on the executive's treaty-making, but a rubber stamp with enormous strategic consequences."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The Act does not alter the terms of the Treaty. Section 2 approves the Treaty and the Schedule reproduces its text; no amendments, exclusions or domestic modifications to the Treaty language are introduced by this Act."},"complexity_factors":["Short statutory action: s.2 simply approves and schedules the Treaty text, limiting domestic legislative complexity.","Treaty text is high-level and non-technical (Articles I–VI), reducing detailed regulatory provisions but leaving operational detail to executive/defence practice.","Decision-making placed into domestic 'constitutional processes' (Article IV) — creates interpretive complexity about who decides and how (executive, Parliament, or both).","Establishes a consultative Council of Foreign Ministers with authority to meet and liaise (Articles VII–VIII) — introduces executive discretion in implementation and external relationships.","Interaction with the UN Charter (Articles I and VI) requires alignment of treaty obligations with UN responsibilities, creating interpretive and compliance considerations.","Ratification, deposit and archival mechanics are delegated to the Government of Australia (Articles IX and XI), concentrating administrative responsibility and notification duties on the Commonwealth.","Indefinite duration with one‑year withdrawal notice (Article X) imposes enduring international obligations and an exit process that affects future policy flexibility."],"plain_english_summary":"**This Act approves the 1951 Security Treaty (ANZUS) between Australia, New Zealand and the United States and reproduces the Treaty text in the Schedule.**\n\nThe Treaty commits the parties to consult and, by their constitutional processes, to act if an armed attack occurs in the Pacific; it creates a Council of Foreign Ministers, requires reporting measures to the United Nations, sets ratification and deposit rules, and allows withdrawal on one year’s notice."},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/security-treaty-australia-new-zealand-and-the-united-states-of-america-act-1952","history":"/api/acts/security-treaty-australia-new-zealand-and-the-united-states-of-america-act-1952/history","analysis":"/api/acts/security-treaty-australia-new-zealand-and-the-united-states-of-america-act-1952/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/security-treaty-australia-new-zealand-and-the-united-states-of-america-act-1952/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/security-treaty-australia-new-zealand-and-the-united-states-of-america-act-1952/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/security-treaty-australia-new-zealand-and-the-united-states-of-america-act-1952/documents"}}