Gary Hardgrave (Moreton, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise this afternoon to tell the House of a visit to my office on Friday by Lee and Christine Rush, the parents of Scott Rush, one of the so-called Bali Nine. They presented me with 1,512 names on a petition, which, I am advised by the Table Office, is non-conforming. I intend to raise the subject of the petition further with the Attorney-General. It contains a list of recommendations, and it is my job as a federal member to ensure the views of the people who sign this petition are heard.

The Rush family have met with the Attorney-General, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and even the Prime Minister. At the end of it, all that happened to Scott Rush is as a result of the failure of the Queensland judicial system to give him more than just a light tap on the wrist for a series of minor offences. This was a lad who was leading up to something and, sadly, when he did, his parents passed it on to authorities who they thought would act on their behalf and on behalf of an Australian citizen.

As this petition outlines, it acknowledges the gross error of judgement by the Australian Federal Police in delivering up to the Indonesian National Police nine young Australian citizens, when they knew that the inevitable consequence of their action would be to expose each of these young people to a death sentence.

The petition seeks Australian government cooperation in urging against the death penalty—something which this government has always worked hard to do. As the local federal member for Moreton, I will continue to stand with Lee and Christine Rush, who are good people and who have hit the worst set of tragic circumstances in relation to their son. I seek leave to table the petition.

Leave granted.

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