On 9 March 2022, Parliament passed the Russia Sanctions
Bill through all its stages in a single
day. The Bill was introduced the previous day,
received its first, second and third readings and completed
its committee stage on 9 March, before receiving Royal
Assent on 10 March.
The legislation created a
dedicated framework allowing New Zealand to impose and
enforce sanctions in response to Russia’s military actions
and those assisting Russia.
The speed
matters.
New Zealand had debated autonomous sanctions
for years. But when Russia invaded Ukraine, the Government
moved urgently and Parliament acted.
Now Labour has
made its Israel policy explicit.
In its foreign-policy
speech on 23 September, Labour committed to
recognising the State of Palestine, placing economic
sanctions on Israel, and requiring the NZ Super Fund and ACC
to divest from companies on the UN list operating in the
occupied territories. Labour also committed to
intervening in South Africa’s case at the International
Court of Justice concerning the Genocide
Convention.
That is a significant step beyond Labour’s
earlier position.
In March 2025, Labour supported
Chlöe Swarbrick’s bill that would enable sanctions against
Israel over its occupation of the Palestinian
territories.
Then, in September 2025, Labour called
for “meaningful sanctions” including
cutting trade and economic ties, freezing assets and travel
bans on named individuals, explicitly referring to the
approach New Zealand had taken towards Russia.
Advertisement – scroll to continue reading
So the
political commitment is now clear.
The mechanics are
not.
The Russia Sanctions Act was specifically
designed around Russia’s military actions. Its purpose is
expressly tied to Russia and those assisting it.
If
Labour wants to impose sanctions on Israel under a different
legal basis, New Zealand needs to know what legislation
Labour would use or introduce.
That is where the
questions begin.
When?
The Russia sanctions
legislation went from introduction to all parliamentary
stages in one day.
What is Labour’s
deadline for legislation or other legal authority to
implement its promised economic sanctions on
Israel?
How?
Will Labour support and pass
Chlöe Swarbrick’s sanctions legislation, amend it, or
introduce its own Government bill?
And if new
legislation is required, how quickly would it be
introduced?
What sanctions?
Labour’s
current speech says only that it will “place
economic sanctions on Israel.”
But Labour
has previously identified much more specific measures:
cutting economic and trade ties, freezing assets and
imposing travel bans on named individuals.
Will those
measures form part of the policy?
Would Labour also
consider restrictions on settlement-linked trade,
procurement restrictions, financial measures, and sanctions
against individuals and entities responsible for violations
of international law?
What comes first?
Labour
has now committed to three significant measures:
recognition of Palestine, sanctions on Israel, and
intervention in South Africa’s ICJ case.
Will
these happen simultaneously?
Or will there be a
sequence and, if so, what is it?
These are not minor
details.
A sanctions policy is a legal
instrument, not simply a political statement. It
needs legislation or legal authority, definitions, targets,
enforcement mechanisms, exemptions, timelines and
accountability.
Labour has said the right things about
the need for consequences when international law is
breached.
It has also demonstrated, through the Russia
sanctions legislation, that New Zealand can act with
extraordinary speed when Parliament decides that
circumstances demand it.
So the question now is
simple:
If Labour believes Israel should face
economic sanctions, show New Zealand the
plan.
Put the legislation on the
table.
Put the timeline on the table.
Put the
sanctions on the table.
And explain clearly how the
promised action will move from a 23 September election
commitment to an enforceable New Zealand sanctions
regime.
The commitment has been made. Now the
mechanics must
follow.
