Foreign Minister Marise Payne has called on the Myanmar military to stop its campaign of violence against citizens and return to democracy a year after its coup.
Senator Payne says the junta has inflicted horrific violence, trampled basic freedoms and triggered a humanitarian crisis after taking power on February 1, 2021.
"Australia condemns the use of violence against civilians and other serious human rights violations," she said.
"We urge the military to exercise restraint and to release all those arbitrarily detained, including Australian Professor Sean Turnell."
The foreign minister also called for immediate and unimpeded access to humanitarian aid for citizens.
"Australia will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to those most in need and remains committed to working with regional and international partners in response to these crises," she said.
"We also call on the military to engage meaningfully in inclusive dialogue for a peaceful return of Myanmar to the path of democracy."
Labor has gone a step further, questioning why the government hasn't imposed targeted sanctions on leaders of the coup.
Acting foreign affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally says the government has acted too little and too late to demonstrate Australia's opposition to the coup.
"While many of our like-minded partners have taken strong actions, (Prime Minister Scott) Morrison still refuses to implement additional targeted sanctions," she said.
"The Morrison-Joyce government's refusal to act over the past year sends precisely the wrong message - that Australia does not care and that we are mere bystanders to authoritarian backsliding in our region."
Australia passed laws allowing for Magnitsky-style sanctions against individuals last year.
The laws - named after a Russian whistleblower who died in a Moscow jail after accusing Russian officials of tax fraud - allow the government to target individuals who conduct egregious acts of international concern.
