Finally – a proposal all sides of parliament agree on… Last night, legislation passed the Senate with unanimous support that would ​​allow the Australian Government to sanction individuals living overseas for “egregious conduct”, like threatening international peace and committing human rights violations. The House of Reps is expected to rubber stamp the bill today. The laws are based on America’s Magnitsky Act that has been replicated 33 times worldwide. Named for lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, he was killed 12 years ago while in detention in Russia after exposing widespread government fraud. His American friend/wealthy client Bill Browder lobbied the US Congress to freeze the assets and stop the travel of those responsible, and that required a new law because sanctions could only be levelled at a state. “If you get magnitsk-ied, it ruins your life,” Browder says. Labor Senator/bill instigator Kimberley Kitching tweeted “It took years & so many dedicated people who dared dream big about Australia’s commitment to human rights.”