March 7 2022
The Government has announced new "significant" sanctions will be placed on Russia, including oligarchs, individuals and companies responsible for or associated with the invasion of Ukraine.
All political parties say they will back a bill to ramp up sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, to be introduced under urgency tomorrow.
Meanwhile, pressure mounts on the Government to do more to address the escalating humanitarian crisis, with an estimated 1.7 million people pouring out of the war zone across the border and into Europe.
The sanctions bill will allow New Zealand to join much of the international community in applying wide-ranging sanctions on Russia, freeze assets, target oligarchs and even shut off airspace to Russian aircraft.
New Zealand had been hampered in its ability to follow much of the international community and sanction Russia, lacking an autonomous regime.
Currently, sanctions are guided by United Nations resolutions, but Russia has a veto as a permanent member of the Security Council and blocked efforts to introduce sanctions.
Ukraine-New Zealander Andriy Legenkyy and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Photo / Mark Mitchell
All parties have now confirmed they will support the bill, which will go through all stages in Parliament tomorrow.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday this move did not signal a move away from the multilateral UN system, as while the Security Council resolution was blocked by Russia a vast majority backed a similar resolution in the General Assembly.
The first tranche of sanctions, including travel ban extensions and banking restrictions, will be in place within a week, Ardern said.
The second would take longer to activate and it would involve identifying any more people who should be targeted, Ardern said.
The sanctions could be imposed on people, services, companies, and assets related to those in Russia who were responsible for or associated with the invasion, or that are of economic or strategic relevance to Russia, including oligarchs.
Green Party foreign affairs spokeswoman Golriz Ghahraman. Photo / Mark Mitchell
They could also apply to trade, and financial institutions as well as stopping the likes of Russian superyachts, ships and aircraft from entering New Zealand waters or airspace.
National and Act had long been calling for sanctions and for New Zealand to adopt an autonomous sanctions regime, which would allow it to do so outside the UN framework.
National's foreign affairs spokesman Gerry Brownlee said it was the right thing for Parliament to support, and was aimed at those who aided and abetted the war rather than the Russian people themselves.
Green Party foreign affairs spokeswoman Golriz Gharhaman said they were concerned initially around "specificity" in the bill, not wanting any sanctions to affect ordinary Russians.
"But this bill doesn't actually target broadly. We feel it is focused on those most responsible and it has a higher level of transparency than sanctions regimes previously [proposed]."
Gharhaman said rather than losing faith in the multilateral system this showed a "good example of where we've been led by the multilateral system".
"The UN General Assembly itself, the biggest, most consensus-based multilateral system in international law has condemned Russia's actions here. If we are lead by that standard, rather than the Security Council, we are committed to the multilateral system."
While supporting the bill the Greens would be pushing for a reference to the General Assembly support added, she said.
National foreign affairs spokesman Gerry Brownlee. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Act foreign affairs spokeswoman Brooke van Velden said they supported the bill but added it should have had been ready weeks ago.
Meanwhile calls are mounting to respond to the flood of people displaced by the war.
Nataliya Shchetkova, who lives in Auckland with her husband and five children, said most Ukrainians living in New Zealand, about 1500 people, had family in Ukraine who were in increasing danger.
Shchetkova, who moved to New Zealand eight years ago, said her sister-in-law was in Odessa, which was next in line to be attacked by Russia.
"We are so worried, I am scared to call her in case she does not answer."
Shchetkova said a refugee intake of even 500 people would make a huge difference.
"We all have somebody there, people just left in danger. Many don't have help from other countries. They beg us to help and so we are begging the Government to help."
Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi announced fast-track measures to support Ukrainians to remain in New Zealand or to return here immediately.
People cross an improvised path under a destroyed bridge while fleeing the town of Irpin close to Kyiv, Ukraine. Photo / AP
This meant Ukrainian nationals in New Zealand with a visa due to expire by the end of the year will be given an automatic 12-month extension, which included about 140 people.
Ukrainian nationals offshore with a valid New Zealand visa could come immediately, bypassing New Zealand's reconnecting steps, including about 250 people.
Ardern said the Government was considering further border exemptions for wider family members of Ukrainians in New Zealand and was ready to respond any approach from UN refugee agency.
Brownlee said this was a good "first step" and his party would continue advocating for a specific humanitarian visa.
