Steven Ciobo (Moncrieff, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am certainly pleased to rise in support of the motion that was moved by the member for Banks this evening. It occurs to me that last evening on the Gold Coast a police officer, in the line of duty, was unfortunately shot in the head by an armed robber. That police officer still fights for his life in hospital as we speak. My mind turns to another heinous crime. In 1965, during an escape from Pentridge prison, a prison officer, George Hodson, who was 41, was shot dead by Ronald Ryan. Ronald Ryan was the last person executed in Australia under the death penalty.

In both of those instances, the one last evening and in the case of the last person executed in Australia, a heinous crime was committed—a crime which many in the community would feel justified the use of the death penalty. The reality is, though, that even in 1965 and in the subsequent years that led to that final execution, there was, from deep within the Australian psyche, a well of public sentiment that said that we do not believe that the death penalty is the right way to punish people, even when someone commits the most heinous crime.

In many respects, the central thrust of the Amnesty International report is that its work against the death penalty flows from the belief that the death penalty is cruel, inhuman, degrading and an affront to the right of life. When I read those words I reflected on the fact that, in many respects, it is that exact concern that for many in the community would spur their desire to see people executed. That really reinforces to me the fundamental hypocrisy about the death penalty. I believe that in society, whether it is in the nation of Australia or with people globally, there is the recognition that engaging in that kind of conduct—be it state sanctioned, negligence or recklessness by criminals—is of the same colour and of the same ilk. In that respect, I am certainly pleased to support in this chamber the motion that we remain steadfastly opposed to the death penalty. It is not because I believe that the rights of those punished should be lifted to the same level as those of the victims but rather because the way in which the death penalty demeans all of us causes me primary concern.

In that respect, I applaud the work of Amnesty International in publishing this report. Amnesty International has seen, since it first commenced campaigning for the abolition of the death penalty in 1977, growth from 16 countries abolishing capital punishment to 139 countries abolishing the death penalty in law or in practice. The reality is that, of course, there is still more work to be done. I would hope that those in the chamber this evening and those who support this particular motion, as well as those abroad who are with us in spirit on this motion, recognise that the ultimate goal is the abolition of the death penalty across the world. There are still some 58 countries that are classified as retentionist and far fewer still use it. Over the years we have seen the growth of feeling that the death penalty does not in any way, shape or form reflect the spirit of the countries or the people of the countries that have either abolished it in law or in practice.

In December last year the UN General Assembly adopted its third resolution on a moratorium on the use of the death penalty, with more UN member states supporting the resolution than ever before. The resolution was adopted with 109 votes in favour, 41 against and 35 abstentions. The reality is that many countries that still use the death penalty use it in a manner which is not even consistent with the most basic benchmark threshold of punishment for the most serious crimes. With around 17,000 people sentenced to death I urge all of those who support the abolition of the death penalty to recognise that we make ourselves better—we make our societies better—by punishing through other means those who have committed these heinous crimes, and recognise that the sanctity of life must be upheld, and that we must not debase ourselves by trying to— (Time expired)

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