11. Question No. 11—Foreign AffairsHon GERRY BROWNLEE (National) to the Minister of Foreign AffairsQuestion No. 11—Foreign Affairs11. Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (National) to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: What additional options if any has the Government considered in responding to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and why hasn't the Government introduced an autonomous sanctions regime?Hon DAVID PARKER (Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs) (remote): [Audio missing]—both condemn the invasion and immediately implement a number of measures in response to Russia's actions. These are targeted travel bans against the Russian Government officials and other individuals associated with the invasion of Iraq the prohibition of the export of all goods to Russian military and security forces and the suspension of bilateral foreign ministry consultations until further notice. This invasion is a blatant break of the most important international laws and the rules-based world order that we rely upon. We will continue to consider other measures including those to target Russian finances. Again as has been earlier said Cabinet has sought advice on a specific Russian sanctions bill which we expect to discuss with other parties across the House shortly. In terms of wider autonomous sanctions legislation that would have implications that go far beyond Russia and impact our foreign policy position more broadly and would require further consideration.Hon Gerry Brownlee: I thank the Minister for that answer but in relation to the last part: was he in fact incorrect when they said of the autonomous sanctions bill that it's necessary because there is a growing risk of New Zealand being perceived as an easy target because of gaps in the range of sanction measures [available] to be imposed" and "for those reasons New Zealand is increasingly regarded as being out of step with security partners such as Australia Canada the European Union and the United States."?Hon DAVID PARKER: The Minister of Foreign Affairs has been clear that we don't rule out a future role for a broader autonomous sanctions regime but we would note the matter is perhaps not quite as simple as the member would present it now. I would note that I'm advised that National—the prior National-ACT Government—looked at the issue in 2012 chose not to progress it even after the Russian invasion of Crimea in 2014 and the member himself did not even give the bill a first reading when he was Minister of Foreign Affairs.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Can the Minister explain to the House how a Russia-specific sanctions bill which the Prime Minister has spoken of today would be so substantially different from the autonomous sanctions bill that we need to wait quite a long time to see it in the House?Hon DAVID PARKER: I can give a couple of instances. I'm advised that the member's version of autonomous sanctions legislation has insufficient consideration of human rights issues and the rising issue of cyber-security. Those are two of the issues that we would expect a broader autonomous sanctions bill should encompass.Hon Gerry Brownlee: If as Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) has identified—and I quote—"all New Zealand's key security partners have the ability to impose sanctions outside the UN framework." why has her Government still not implemented the ability for New Zealand to do the same and why are we getting so many excuses about why we cannot participate with other nations in the world to show the strongest condemnation of Russia's aggressive actions in Ukraine?Hon DAVID PARKER: As the Prime Minister has outlined we have and we will continue to take appropriate action against the Russian regime. The wider considerations of a broader autonomous sanctions bill are complex as the Minister found when he was Minister of Foreign Affairs and his predecessors found when they for nine years didn't introduce one even after the Russian invasion of Crimea.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Has MFAT recommended to the Government that an autonomous sanctions bill is necessary for New Zealand to be in step with the partner nations that we so like to identify ourselves with?Hon DAVID PARKER: The latest advice on that very issue was received yesterday and the recommendation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade was that we first consider a specific bill in respect of the Russian invasion of the Ukraine.SPEAKER: Question—Hon Gerry Brownlee: Mr Speaker?SPEAKER: No. The member's an optimist.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Well it's been such a long time! I thought—SPEAKER: Seeing the member except for myself is the father of the House I will give him another supplementary.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Thank you. Thank you very much. I'll try and make it brief. Can the Minister tell us how long we may have to wait to see this Russia-specific sanctions bill introduced to the House?Hon DAVID PARKER: I haven't got a specific time frame to give the member but the issue is being consider with priority by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. I would note that we've already tightened the overseas investment rules into New Zealand and that many of the new investments that the member might be concerned about would be covered by those tightened rules that this Government introduced."