This whole-of-government strategy sets out Australia’s policy on the death penalty, outlines its overarching approach to pursuing global abolition of the death penalty, and provides guidance to Australian overseas missions on developing and implementing advocacy strategies to pursue abolition.

All jurisdictions in Australia abolished the death penalty by 1985. In 2010, the federal government passed legislation that prohibited the reintroduction of capital punishment. Abolition of the death penalty has broad bipartisan political support.

Reflecting its commitment to universal human rights, the Australian Government believes as a matter of principle that the death penalty has no place in the modern world. It brutalises human society, is degrading, and is an affront to human dignity.

Australia’s commitment to human rights is enduring. As long as people face execution by a government,  abolition of the death penalty will be pursued.

The death penalty affects Australians. A number of Australian citizens and long-term residents have been sentenced to death, some have been executed, and others await trial for crimes which may carry the death penalty.

The death penalty affects Australia's cooperation with foreign law enforcement agencies and our provision of police or other justice and security assistance in countries that retain the death penalty.