Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Rice for her question. I have engaged regularly with both the department and the post and with counterparts on these questions, including in relation to sanctions issues. I want to be very clear, Acting Deputy Chair, that I have said many times that our policy settings, including sanctions, are kept under active consideration. That is absolutely right, and, in fact, the case to which Senator Rice refers validates that. I've always said that I do not rule out the application of sanctions, and we are continuing to actively consider our response. Those options are on the table, including pursuant to these reforms. We, of course, respect the efforts of partners who have determined that imposing sanctions is the most appropriate measure for them. At this point, as the senator knows, because we have discussed this at some length across a number of estimates processes as well, that is not Australia's view.