David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

On 8 November, the people's survey, which was undertaken for the Platform for People Movement Myanmar, was released. It covered 271 townships across Myanmar, and the findings are unequivocal—99 per cent reject the military coup, 98 per cent say the junta's election is illegitimate and 96 per cent refuse to vote. Yet the junta proceeds with a sham election in December, orchestrated by the Union Election Commission, the same body that nullified Myanmar's 2020 democratic mandate. The United States, Canada, the UK and the EU have all sanctioned the Union Election Commission, but Australia hasn't. Why not? The junta is using the UEC to legitimise electoral fraud. It's how the junta cloak their acts as a democratic outcome. Australia has done nothing.

The consequences of what's happening now extend beyond Myanmar. Myanmar based cyberscam syndicates cause an estimated $2 billion to $3 billion in annual losses across our region. Elderly Australians are being targeted through pension fraud, young people are targeted through crypto scams and First Nations communities are targeted through phishing attacks exploiting digital inequality. Australia has not sanctioned a single major operator or financial facilitator in these networks. Whilst the US, UK and EU are actively trying to dismantle Myanmar's cybercrime architecture, we remain conspicuously absent.

We also need clarity on our diplomatic position and diplomatic posture. In 2022 Australia downgraded relations with Myanmar after the coup. With this sham election approaching, will we maintain that stance, or will we risk legitimising the junta by restoring engagement? The Asian Network for Free Elections has assessed this election as illegitimate. The Myanmar people have spoken overwhelmingly. Australia must act. There need to be meaningful sanctions, we need to target the cybercrime networks and we need to reject this sham election. We should make it very clear that there will be no return to business as usual under a military dictatorship.