Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I want to go to the other part of this amendment on sheet 1502, particularly the part on the minister giving a statement in relation to Myanmar. We have heard the reasons we need a transparent process as to why or why not sanctions are being imposed, which we currently don't have. This amendment would make the minister give a statement as to whether people who have been proposed for sanctions are responsible for serious violations or abuses of human rights, whether or not sanctions will be applied, and the details of any consultations undertaken by the minister in preparing the statement. This goes to the holes in our current sanctions regime and the holes that will still be there even when we pass these amendments today.

We have heard that the information that has so far been informing you, Minister, on why not to apply sanctions are that it's not in our national interest and that it's not conducive to maintaining a good relationship with ASEAN. In terms of ASEAN, do you think, Minister, that the strategy so far is working? We have welcomed ASEAN's decision to uninvite Min Aung Hlaing from upcoming meetings, but other participants in the junta have participated in ASEAN meetings. Do you think that the strategy of maintaining that good relationship with ASEAN is working in terms of applying appropriate pressure on the leaders of the coup in Myanmar?