Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

We are facing an increasing number of situations of international concern and heightened instability in the world. Given the importance of sanctions as a critical foreign policy tool, it is necessary to ensure that Australia's sanctions framework remains robust. Since being elected in May 2022, as of March 2024, this government has imposed over 500 sanctions in response to situations of international concern, including Russia's invasion of Ukraine and human rights violations in Iran.

The Autonomous Sanctions Amendment Bill 2024 clarifies the operation of the Autonomous Sanctions Act to ensure that decisions made under the autonomous sanctions framework are robust. The bill also provides certainty and transparency to individuals and businesses so that they can effectively comply with sanctions laws. The bill amends the Autonomous Sanctions Act to confirm that sanctions based on past conduct or past status are valid. The bill also clarifies that, in circumstances where there is any perceived ambiguity in the operation of the act and the exercise of the minister's discretionary power, sanctions are valid. For the avoidance of doubt, the bill will confirm that the act and the sanctions framework operate as intended.

This bill will ensure that sanctions remain an effective foreign policy tool to demonstrate that Australia will not tolerate egregious behaviour and is willing to impose consequences in response. On that basis, I commend the bill to the Senate.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.