New Zealand should legislate our own Autonomous Sanctions Bill, National’s Foreign Affairs spokesperson Gerry Brownlee says.

“It is becoming abundantly clearer that there are rogue governments that New Zealand will want nothing to do with, and we do not want to be dependent on the United Nations to bring down sanctions. We need our own legislation.

“An Autonomous Sanctions Bill will explicitly provide for asset freezes and trade embargoes that would allow New Zealand to stand up against other governments and defend our values.

“If we had one in place earlier, New Zealand would have been able to stand with our traditional partners against Russia much faster than we did.  

“National is calling on the Government to take urgent work on introducing New Zealand’s own Autonomous Sanctions Bill.”