Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The Autonomous Sanctions Amendment (Thematic Sanctions) Bill 2021 has my full support. Much has been written and said about this legislation and other like pieces in other jurisdictions around the world. I commend Senator Kitching on an exceptionally good and powerful speech, the full contents of which I adopt, and I again congratulate her on a very, very good exposition on the matters that are before the chamber. I'm also delighted that, as I understand, the two amendments that Labor are moving will be adopted. To have the Magnitsky name in the title is, I think, fitting for this martyr, and that is what he is. So we're delighted that that is going to occur. I also understand that, in a breakout of bipartisanship, the Greens amendment in relation to having this legislation reviewed after three years by the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade will also be adopted by the government.

I think this bill has been one of the examples of our parliament working at its very best. I recall the journey myself, and I pay tribute to the former member for Melbourne Ports. He was the one that first made me aware of the name Magnitsky and then of the legislation that might be put forward in honour of his name. I then wrote to relevant people on my side of politics and got the polite 'not needed' response, which was then followed up with an acceptance that it might be a good idea for the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade's subcommittee on human rights to have a look at this idea and whether it is needed in Australia. I was very pleased to be able to serve on that committee and come down with a unanimous report, where all members of the committee, under the very able chairmanship of the member for Menzies, Kevin Andrews, produced a result which has now been adopted, from what I can gather, by all sides of the parliament in both chambers.

In short, that which is before us is legislation I fully support. Given the time constraints, I simply ask people who want to know my thoughts about this matter to read and look at things I may or may not have said in the past, but especially to read Senator Kitching's speech.