The Government says Australia will relax its travel, financial and military sanctions against Zimbabwe and its government officials.

In July, Zimbabwean prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai asked for the lifting of the sanctions, arguing there had been many positive changes in his country.

Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr says the sanctions will be removed in three stages.

"The benchmarks are these: the setting of a date for a constitutional referendum, a peaceful and credible constitutional referendum being held, and third, free and fair elections taking place and a democratically elected government taking office," he said.

"We will in response to these three benchmarks being reached, peel back our sanctions which include travel and financial restrictions against 153 individuals in the regime, in the government and four entities, an arms embargo and prohibition on defence links."