On 26 October 2009, the Australian Senate passed the Federal Justice System Amendment (Efficiency Measures) Bill (No 1) 2008, giving the Federal Court of Australia concurrent jurisdiction with the state and territory Supreme Courts under the International Arbitration Act 1974 (the Act). The Bill, which amends various Acts with the aim of improving the operation of the federal courts, is part of the Australian government's wider review of the Act announced on 21 November 2008 (see Article, Looking ahead: anticipated developments in 2009: Australian review of its international arbitration laws).

Formerly, the state and territory Supreme Courts had jurisdiction under the Act, which often meant parties had to make parallel applications in multiple courts. This process has, on occasion, caused contradictory decisions to be issued. The new Bill eliminates these problems by clarifying and expanding the Federal Court's jurisdiction, allowing it to manage cases more effectively and ensuring it is equipped to function as a regional hub for commercial litigation. The new Bill:

With its review of the Act, the Australian government aims to provide a clear legislative framework for international arbitration in Australia and to improve the effectiveness of the arbitral process. The new Bill is the first step towards ensuring a more consistent and streamlined approach to international arbitration across Australia.