Dear Mr Murphy

Thank you for your letter of 22 November 2010 about the Standing Committee on Petitions’ consideration of a petition regarding trade and investment sanctions against Burma.

Australia’s targeted sanctions against the Burmese regime include long-standing visa restrictions against senior members of the regime and their supporters, associates and close family members; a ban on defence exports to Burma; and targeted financial sanctions. The aim of Australian sanctions is to target key regime figures without punishing the Burmese people. We do not impose trade or investment sanctions, and the Government’s policy is to neither encourage nor discourage trade with, or investment in, Burma.

It is the responsibility of companies and individuals to comply with Australia’s defence export ban and its targeted financial sanctions. The Australian Government does not routinely monitor or investigate Australian companies’ interests in Burma. Any specific allegation of a breach of Australian law implementing sanctions should be reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Australian Federal Police.

Thank you for bringing the petition to the attention of the Government.

from the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Rudd