Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

on indulgence—I thank the foreign minister for suggesting that I have a moment on indulgence to speak about this important issue. There is a very strong bipartisan sense in this parliament that the death penalty is wrong in this case—that it is always wrong, to whomever it is applied, wherever it is applied. I thank the Father of the House and our own Chief Opposition Whip in particular for the work they have been doing in our bipartisan group against the death penalty.

All Australians' thoughts are with Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan, their friends, their families, their supporters. We are united in opposing the death penalty in this case as we are in every case, and we would plead with the Indonesian government and the people of Indonesia to understand that, just as they plead for the lives of their citizens around the world, we plead now for the lives of two young men who have made enormous transformations in their lives and who are making enormous transformations in the lives of other people as well.

I know that there are many Australians now who are watching the unfolding news of the movement of these two young men, thinking that all hope is lost. I would say that, while there is life, there is hope. But the legal processes that the lawyers for these young men are engaged in—two legal processes—must be allowed to be completed. Thank you.

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