Joint media release:
- Senator Claire Chandler, Assistant Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
20 March 2023
The Coalition welcomes the targeted sanctions and travel bans imposed by the Australian Government today on numerous individuals and entities responsible for the abhorrent human rights abuses in Iran.
This slow response is disappointing with further sanctions on officials responsible for violence and human rights abuses recommended by the Senate Foreign Affairs References Committee more than seven weeks ago.
The Coalition has been calling for this action for months, including a letter to Prime Minister Albanese in November 2022 for which we are yet to receive a response. At every step the Albanese Government has been slow to act, leading to frustration and concern in Australia’s Iranian community.
While several Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have been sanctioned today, the Government is yet to respond to recommendations of the Committee and the calls of the Coalition for action to be taken to allow the IRGC to be listed as a terrorist organisation.
Minister Wong and the Albanese Government should take the recommendations of the Committee seriously and provide a comprehensive response to all of them as quickly as possible.
The Coalition continues to offer bipartisan support for any action by Australia and strengthen the condemnation of the continued abuses of human rights being carried out by the Iranian regime.
Australia must stand consistent with likeminded nations and take the actions that others should look to follow.
The Coalition commends the bravery of those in Iran, in particular Iranian women and girls fighting for basic human rights and continues to call on the Albanese Government to do all it can to support them.
The Senate Committee recommendations can be found here.
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