Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd says Australia is working with other governments around the world to bring about political change in Syria.
Mr Rudd said he had spoken to the Secretary-General of the Arab League two nights ago on the subject.
"We're working closely with governments in Qatar and elsewhere to support a global friends of democratic Syria to bring about political transformation," he said.
"Despite the frustrations of the UN security council, we intend to work with other governments around the world - the British, the Europeans, the Arab League and others to continue the pressure on Damascus to bring about peaceful political change."
Australia is pursuing independent sanctions against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad as a result of the worsening situation in Syria, and the killing of at least 200 people in Homs earlier this week.
Mr Rudd on Wednesday summoned Syria's acting ambassador to his office for a dressing-down about his government's increasingly bloody crackdown on an 11-month old anti-government uprising.
Mr Rudd told Jawdat Ali that his government had lost its legitimacy and the president should step down.
"I was very blunt with the Syrian representative," Mr Rudd told reporters in Sydney on Friday.
"What I said was actions by the Syrian regime in murdering its own people was unacceptable and in violation of international law, and in violation of international humanitarian and criminal law."
