An Australian Senator is disappointed the government did not support her motion to condemn the persecution of gay and bisexual men in Chechnya.

Greens Senator Janet Rice introduced the motion on Friday asking the government to work with the United Nations to come up with a UN resolution.

Rice called not only for the condemnation of the Chechen government’s actions but for Australia to be prepared to take refugees from Chechnya.

She also called for the government to cut trade and diplomatic links with Chechnya.

But the Liberal Party government shut down the vote saying it would not vote on foreign policy issues.

‘In line with the government’s longstanding view, motions that cannot be debated or amended should not deal with complex foreign policy matters,’ said Liberal Party Senator James McGrath said.

Rice expressed her anger at the rejection of her motion.

‘I am extremely disappointed that the government has denied formality on this important notion,’ Rice said in the Senate.

‘I note that our foreign minister has raised this issue with the Russian government and commend her for doing so, but there is a lot more action that needs to be taken.’

LGBTI advocate and just.equal spokesperson, Rodney Croome said the blocking of the motion showed the government’s inaction on LGBTI issues.

‘The Government’s excuse that it doesn’t vote on matters of foreign policy and it couldn’t agree on wording will be cold comfort to gay and bisexual men being rounded up and executed in Chechnya,’ he said.

‘It’s particularly disappointing that Malcolm Turnbull hasn’t said a word about this crisis, unlike other heads of government such as Angela Merkel.’

Watch Senator Rice’s scathing take down of the government here