The Government is urgently passing a new bill specifically targeting the Russia-Ukraine conflict.  

New Zealand has been criticised for not having sanctions as strong as some other countries. 

It includes freezing assets in New Zealand, a travel ban on more than 100 people and the economic targeting of people supporting the invasion, including oligarchs.  

Democracy Project international analyst Geoffrey Miller told Kate Hawkesby it's taken a while to be introduced. 

“You had everyone from Switzerland and Monaco to Singapore and Japan and all of those countries traditionally have been reluctant to impose sanctions.” 

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