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

I would also like to put the government's position on the record in relation to this amendment. The government does not accept the proposed amendments, which go beyond the scope of the bill. The bill amends the Autonomous Sanctions Act to remove any possibility of doubt that individuals or entities can be validly sanctioned based on their past conduct or status. It also clarifies the validity of sanctions listings that rely on the minister's discretion to impose sanctions. In doing so, the bill provides certainty and transparency to the Australian community so that they can effectively comply with sanctions laws.

The government welcomes engagement with civil society organisations on human rights sanctions. The Department of Foreign Affairs receives and considers submissions on potential sanctions targets from a range of human rights organisations, and it is an expectation that this will continue. But, ultimately, decisions to impose sanctions are matters which should be made by whoever is responsible—executive government—at the time they're being made. They are imposed judiciously and where it is in our national interest to do so. The government is committed to maintaining the transparency of the sanctions listing process, including through existing parliamentary scrutiny such as the Scrutiny of Bills Committee, the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights and, of course, Senate estimates. We continue to keep the sanctions framework under continuous review to ensure that it remains robust and fit for purpose.