Marise Payne lobbies Brunei over Sharia Law plans

Foreign Minister Marise Payne is directly lobbying the Brunei government to abandon its plans to adopt Sharia Law. Under the Islamic penal code, anyone convicted of gay sex or adultery could be stoned or whipped to death.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne is directly lobbying the Brunei government to abandon its plans to adopt Sharia Law as early as Wednesday.

Under the Islamic penal code known as Sharia Law, anyone convicted of gay sex or adultery could be stoned or whipped to death.

An Indonesian woman is whipped by a member of the Sharia police in public in Banda Aceh this month. Picture:AFP

Brunei first adopted elements of Sharia Law in 2014, in the face of fierce opposition from human rights advocates.

“We are absolute opponents of the death penalty in all circumstances, so any suggestion laws would facilitate the application of the death penalty is a matter of concern for the government of Australia,” Ms Payne said.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne is directly lobbying the Brunei government to abandon its plans to adopt Sharia Law.

“I conveyed our views as recently as this week to Dato Erywan, the foreign minister in Brunei and we will continue to do so.”

Hollywood actor George Clooney has led boycott calls for nine luxury hotels owned by the Sultan of Brunei, including the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles and the Dorchester in London.

US actor George Clooney George Clooney said the new laws amounted to “human rights violations”.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne was at Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre on Saturday morning with Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Minister for Sport Bridget McKenzie to explain how $190 million in Tuesday’s federal Budget will be spent on new or upgraded women’s change rooms at sporting clubs.