Autonomous Sanctions Amendment (Iran and Syria) Bill 2026

Mr TED O'BRIEN (Fairfax) (13:06): I rise to speak on the Autonomous Sanctions Amendment (Iran and Syria) Bill 2026. Australia's autonomous sanctions framework is an important instrument of our foreign policy. It gives Australia the ability to act independently in defence of our national interests and to impose consequences on those who threaten international peace and security.

The original Autonomous Sanctions Act was passed in 2011 with the support of the coalition. At the time, the then deputy opposition leader, Julie Bishop, told this parliament: Sanctions are a necessary part of the armoury in international relations. That was true then and it is even more true today.

Australia faces its most challenging strategic circumstances since the Second World War. We are seeing an increasing convergence of economic and security interests, with economic power being used to advance strategic objectives. In this environment, Australia's ability to exercise all the instruments of statecraft have never been more important.

But with these powers comes responsibility. Sanctions must be applied consistently and proportionately against a clear set of principles. Their application must be guided by our national interests, not political interests.

Australia's credibility depends on the integrity with which we exercise these powers. The coalition has a strong history of supporting and strengthening Australia's autonomous sanctions framework. It was the former coalition government under the then foreign minister, Marise Payne, that introduced Magnitsky-style sanctions in 2021 as an amendment to this bill.

Those reforms of the coalition strengthened Australia's ability to target serious human rights abuses and corruption. It demonstrated the coalition's commitment to maintaining an effective sanctions regime. That brings me to the bill before the House today.

This bill seeks to put beyond doubt the validity and enforceability of certain sanctioned goods, instruments, including eight—and I've been advised by the government only eight—each of which, I've been advised, relates to either Iran or Syria, made between 2012 and 2016. These instruments were published as gazette notices, rather than registered as legislative instruments.

The amendments provide legal certainty, ensuring Australia's sanctions framework continues to operate as intended. The coalition supports the bill because Australia must retain the ability to use these powers wisely in defence of our national interest. Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.