Philip Ruddock (Berowra, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I second the motion, I thank the member for Fremantle for proposing it and I welcome the opportunity to speak to it as the seconder. This parliament is at its best when there are matters such as those raised in this motion which we can all support. I thank the member for her interest and her campaigning on this issue—I do so in the context of her motion of condolence in relation to Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran. I add my condolences, personally, to their families. They live in the north-west of Sydney and are known to many people in my community. The fact that these were young men who committed a grievous criminal act can never justify their execution. It was an execution that proceeded notwithstanding the recognition, as I understand it, in Indonesia that if people are reformed there should be consequences of that, and that should have been taken into account in considering remission.

For me, these tragic events bring a time for renewal—renewal of our campaign to rid the earth of this heinous penalty by states. There has been significant change over a period of time—140 countries have now abolished the death penalty either in law or in practice. That is a significant change from 1977, when only 16 countries had done so. I am appalled that in a highly important state to us all, the United States, they continue to execute. I understand that the other countries that significantly execute large numbers of people include Iran, China, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. If we can get change in the United States, we may well be able to get change elsewhere.

The member for Fremantle in her observations referred to the recent statement by organisations such as Amnesty, Human Rights Watch, the Human Rights Law Centre, Reprieve, Australians Detained Abroad, Civil Liberties Australia, UnitingJustice and the New South Wales Council for Civil Liberties. In their recommendations, there are suggestions as to the way in which government here in Australia can take a very much more proactive role—and I hope the Minister for Foreign Affairs had an opportunity to examine the suggestions, which are very full and complete, about the way in which we can replicate arrangements in the United Kingdom for taking a diplomatic lead on this issue.

For me, I welcome the fact that an increasing number of members of parliament are joining our group, Australian Parliamentarians against the Death Penalty. I thank them for doing so, but it is also a time for all members to remember that they can play a role. Many of us have the opportunity to travel abroad from time to time, to meet with other parliaments, to meet in parliamentary delegations, to meet delegations that are travelling here. I will use one example. I met with the Prime Minister of Vietnam when he came here to Australia and I raised the issue of the death penalty. While I cannot claim I was personally responsible, I am pleased that every time the matter seems to be raised they do at least reduce the number of offences for which they can execute people. I think there is a very, very important role that colleagues can play and I hope they will participate in our group, join it and actively take these matters up with other governments when they have the opportunity to do so.

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