Opposition leader Sussan Ley accuses Penny Wong of overstepping in ‘unprecedented' Israeli minister sanctions
She accused Penny Wong of acting 'unilaterally' in imposing Magnitsky-style sanctions on National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
The Albanese Government joined the UK, Canada, New Zealand and Norway to sanction the pair, accusing them of 'inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank'.
'It is unprecedented to, as a government, take actions, sanctions on members of a democratically elected government. It appears that Penny Wong acted unilaterally on this,' Ms Ley told Sky New on Thursday.
'The Magnitsky sanctions were never designed to be used in this way, but to take action against terrorist regimes and bad actors.'
The Magnitsky legislation allows governments to impose targeted sanctions, such as asset freezes and travel bans, on foreign individuals responsible for serious human rights abuses or corruption.
Australia has only selectively deployed the sanctions, mostly on Russian individuals, since they first came into effect in December 2021 with the first set handed down in March 2022.
The Foreign Minister and Labor colleagues have defended the measure, with Ms Wong saying the duo had 'extremist rhetoric' including 'appalling and dangerous' calls for the forced displacement of Palestinians and the creation of new Israeli settlements.
Former Labor defence minister Joel Fitzgibbon also openly labelled them 'extremists.'
However when asked whether the Government had 'overstepped the mark', Ms Ley bluntly responded: 'Yes we do. Yes we do'.
Ms Ley's criticism of the collective move was echoed by her Coalition team on Thursday, with many calling for a briefing on the decision which they warned could have broader implications.
'We want to understand more deeply the rationale behind the government's decision making,' Nationals Senate Leader Bridget McKenzie said on Thursday.
'I think these sanctions do go against the intent of the Magnitsky sanction regime.'
Opposition legal affairs spokesman Julian Leeser has warned if the standard for triggering Magnitsky sanctions had been weakened it could impact Australia's standing abroad.
'This is a very serious step. When you read the government's statement, it suggests that it's actually lowered the threshold for applying sanctions,' he told the ABC on Thursday.
'Because these sanctions are being applied because of public comments of the two Israeli ministers and the big question here is whether this is a new standard that will be applied to the public comments of officials from other countries.'
Shadow foreign minister Michaelia Cash called the sanctions a 'very serious development' and said they should meet 'a very high threshold.'
While backing the sanctions and defending them as 'carefully considered', Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said he hoped Australia and Israel would 'continue our friendship'.
'I mean we want to continue our friendship with Israel, let me be clear about that,' he said.
'We've worked very carefully in relation to taking this step over a period of time.
'We've done this in combination with the United Kingdom in combination with Canada and with other nations.'
His shadow counterpart Angus Taylor went as far to question whether Ms Wong's call teamed with Labor's refusal to lift the defence budget after US pressure had prompted the Trump Administration to review the AUKUS partnership.
But Marles hit back at his 'breathless press conference' and said the Coalition needed to 'take a breath' on the AUKUS probe which he downplayed as a 'natural' decision of any new government.
Former Liberal politician and ex-US ambassador Arthur Sinodinos also rejected any link, noting Marles had publicly said he'd been aware a review was coming for weeks.
Both sides of politics have said ultimately they wanted to see a ceasefire and long-term end to the Gaza conflict.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
an hour ago
- Perth Now
Major step towards cutting maximum medicine cost to $25
Australians will pay no more than $25 for selected medicines for the first time in more than 20 years under a proposal to be brought before parliament. It will be the second cap on medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) introduced by the Albanese government in three years, after it cut the maximum price of PBS prescriptions from $42.50 to $30. "The size of your bank balance shouldn't determine the quality of your health care," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. "My government will continue to deliver cost-of-living relief for all Australians." PBS medicines would be capped at $7.70 for pensioners and credit card holders until 2030. The bill's introduction is largely a formality, with its passage through the lower house all but assured thanks to Labor's massive 94-seat majority in the 150-seat House of Representatives. The election promise is the Albanese government's next priority after it introduced childcare safety and HECS debt reduction legislation. Federal Labor has been talking up plans to strengthen the PBS amid concerns the scheme will be targeted as a bargaining chip in US trade negotiations to ward off threatened pharmaceutical tariffs. Mr Albanese has repeatedly said the scheme was not up for negotiation. Australia eased its biosecurity restrictions on US beef imports last week, but the prime minister has denied the move was linked to US trade talks, noting it followed a 10-year review of Australian biosecurity rules. Beyond new legislation, conflict in the Middle East will likely prompt fierce debate on the parliamentary floor after Mr Albanese said Israel had breached international law by blocking the flow of food aid into Gaza. "Quite clearly, it is a breach of international law to stop food being delivered, which was a decision that Israel made in March," Mr Albanese said on ABC's Insiders program on Sunday. He stopped short of saying Australia would join France in recognising a Palestinian state, but said his government would decide at "an appropriate time". "Hamas can have no role in a future state," he said. "Hamas are a terrorist organisation who I find, their actions are abhorrent." Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash said Mr Albanese failed to adequately condemn the role of the group in the ongoing conflict. The government is also likely to come under pressure regarding transparency when parliament resumes, after a Centre for Public Integrity probe revealed only a quarter of freedom of information request responses returned by the government in 2023-24 were un-redacted. By comparison, the Morrison government returned almost half of its FOI requests as complete documents in 2021-22.
West Australian
an hour ago
- West Australian
Major step towards cutting maximum medicine cost to $25
Australians will pay no more than $25 for selected medicines for the first time in more than 20 years under a proposal to be brought before parliament. It will be the second cap on medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) introduced by the Albanese government in three years, after it cut the maximum price of PBS prescriptions from $42.50 to $30. "The size of your bank balance shouldn't determine the quality of your health care," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. "My government will continue to deliver cost-of-living relief for all Australians." PBS medicines would be capped at $7.70 for pensioners and credit card holders until 2030. The bill's introduction is largely a formality, with its passage through the lower house all but assured thanks to Labor's massive 94-seat majority in the 150-seat House of Representatives. The election promise is the Albanese government's next priority after it introduced childcare safety and HECS debt reduction legislation. Federal Labor has been talking up plans to strengthen the PBS amid concerns the scheme will be targeted as a bargaining chip in US trade negotiations to ward off threatened pharmaceutical tariffs. Mr Albanese has repeatedly said the scheme was not up for negotiation. Australia eased its biosecurity restrictions on US beef imports last week, but the prime minister has denied the move was linked to US trade talks, noting it followed a 10-year review of Australian biosecurity rules. Beyond new legislation, conflict in the Middle East will likely prompt fierce debate on the parliamentary floor after Mr Albanese said Israel had breached international law by blocking the flow of food aid into Gaza. "Quite clearly, it is a breach of international law to stop food being delivered, which was a decision that Israel made in March," Mr Albanese said on ABC's Insiders program on Sunday. He stopped short of saying Australia would join France in recognising a Palestinian state, but said his government would decide at "an appropriate time". "Hamas can have no role in a future state," he said. "Hamas are a terrorist organisation who I find, their actions are abhorrent." Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash said Mr Albanese failed to adequately condemn the role of the group in the ongoing conflict. The government is also likely to come under pressure regarding transparency when parliament resumes, after a Centre for Public Integrity probe revealed only a quarter of freedom of information request responses returned by the government in 2023-24 were un-redacted. By comparison, the Morrison government returned almost half of its FOI requests as complete documents in 2021-22.
Courier-Mail
an hour ago
- Courier-Mail
Two Aussies were on-board aid ship allegedly intercepted by Israel
Don't miss out on the headlines from Breaking News. Followed categories will be added to My News. Two Australians were on board an aid boat in a bid to challenge the blockade of Gaza when it was allegedly intercepted by Israeli troops. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said there were 21 people on board the 'Handala' ship, which was stocked with baby formula, diapers, food and medicine, when it was intercepted early on Sunday morning (AEST) about 75km from Gaza. Two Australians, Robert Martin and Tan Safi, were reportedly on board the ship when it was allegedly intercepted by the Israel Defence Forces. Pre-recorded videos of both Mr Martin and Ms Safi were shared to Freedom Flotilla's X pages, alleging they had been intercepted at sea. 'I appeal to my comrades, friends and family, to everyone, to put pressure on your country, Australia, of my country, to demand my release, and the release of everybody on board the 'Handala' as soon as possible. Thank you,' Mr Robert said in the video. An Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson confirmed two Australians were on-board the boat, The Guardian reported. NewsWire has contacted DFAT for comment. Two Australians, Robert Martin and Tan Safi, were reportedly on board the ship when it was allegedly intercepted by the Israel Defence Forces. Picutre: Freedom Flotilla/X. The Israel Foreign Ministry said a vessel had been stopped from 'illegally entering the maritime zone of the coast of Gaza' in a post shared to X. 'The vessel is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. All passengers are safe,' the statement read. 'Unauthorised attempts to breach the blockade are dangerous, unlawful, and undermine ongoing humanitarian efforts.' It comes after Anthony Albanese said he believed Israel has 'quite clearly' breached international law through its treatment of innocent civilians in Gaza, but will not follow French President Emmanuel Macron and formally recognise a Palestinian State when he heads to the United Nations General Assembly in September. Anthony Albanese said he was personally heartbroken over the photos coming out of Gaza, with the death toll from starvation and malnourishment increasing. Picture: Omar Al-Qarraa/ AFP A photo taken from the Shait refugee camp in Gaza, picturing a woman, Naima Abu Ful holding her malnourished two-year-old child, Yazan. Picture: AP Photo/ Jehad Alshrafi This follows global condemnation of Israel for restricting aid to civilians trapped in Gaza, with health authorities reporting 123 people have died of starvation and malnutrition. The Israeli military has since said it will begin aid airdrops, and establish humanitarian corridors for United Nations convoys to allow for the delivery of food. Speaking to ABC on Sunday, the Prime Minister said he was heartbroken by the images of starving children coming out of Gaza. While he welcomed the resumption of aid as 'a start,' he reiterated the condemnation of civilian deaths as 'completely unacceptable' and 'completely indefensible'. 'This is a start, but we need to make sure that people who are innocent … including the young boy who people will have seen that image of just breaks your heart, a one-year-old boy is not a Hamas fighter,' he said. When pressed, Mr Albanese also said Israel's actions are 'quite clearly' a breach of international law, given 'international law says that you can't hold innocent people responsible for what is a conflict'. 'I'm a supporter of Israel and Israel's right to defend itself, but that boy isn't challenging Israel's right to existence, and nor are the many who continue to suffer from the unavailability of food and water,' he said. Mr Albanese said Israel had 'quite clearly' breached international law through its treatment of innocent people. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman However, Australia will not follow France, who has become the first large Western power to confirm it will formally recognise Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly, joining about 75 per cent of member states. Mr Albanese said that, while Australia 'will make a decision at an appropriate time,' there needed to be more detail on how a Palestinian state would function before he was comfortable making that commitment. 'How do you exclude Hamas from any involvement there? How do you ensure that a Palestinian State operates in an appropriate way which does not threaten the existence of Israel?' he said. 'And so we won't do any decision as a gesture. We will do it as a way forward, if the circumstances are met.' Coalition foreign affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash criticised Mr Albanese for not putting more blame on Hamas and its continued refusal to release hostages taken on October 7, 2023. However, Mr Albanese has made repeated comments calling on Hamas to release the hostages, and has reiterated his condemnation of the terrorist organisation. Senator Cash added that while the statement said that Australia wants to 'to see the end of the war in Gaza,' the 'next sentence should have been: 'And we call on the terrorists Hamas, who commenced this war and who are ensuring the suffering of the civilians in Gaza to end this war tomorrow''. 'Does Israel have a moral responsibility? Yes. Should Israel be getting more aid in to civilians in Gaza? Absolutely,' she said. 'And I call on the Israeli government to work with the international agencies to get that aid to the civilians but let us not be blind … to the reality.' Foreign Minister Penny Wong was asked on Sunday afternoon whether Australia was obligated to act given Mr Albanese had said Israel was breaching international law. 'The Prime Minister made out position clear this morning, it is forbidden to withhold aid from civilians, that is not consistent with international law,' Ms Wong said. 'But actually, as importantly, it's morally the wrong thing to do, it's ethically the wrong thing to do.' Originally published as Two Aussies were on-board aid ship allegedly intercepted by Israel
