Teresa Gambaro (Brisbane, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak to the motion. I thank the member for Fowler, the member for Fremantle for putting the motion on the Notice Paper, and also previous speakers—the member for Berowra and others—who have spoken to this motion. On 12 February this year, this parliament stood united in speaking to the joint motion from the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the member for Sydney against the grave injustice that was looming at that time, with the pending executions of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran. In many ways it is tragic that it takes a true tragedy to unite us, but in speaking out against the death penalty, wherever it is still followed anywhere in the world, then united as parliamentarians we must be.

Tragically, Andrew and Myuran, along with six others prisoners, were executed on 29 April. The simple but chilling empty questions that we are all left with are these. How do the deaths of these men help anybody?

What message do their deaths send to anyone seeking redemption and wanting to make amends for wrongdoing? How can their deaths be justified under the notion that the death penalty provides a deterrent against such crimes, thereby protecting life through an act of violence in taking lives? And how do we provide comfort and solace to their families where there is none to be had in the face of such loss?

On 2 March this year, I spoke in the Federation Chamber on the plight of Andrew and Myuran and my belief that punishment by death is not the path to a better outcome in Indonesia, or for that matter anywhere in the world. There is no statistical evidence that deterrence through death works, in the same way that there is no meaningful evidence of whether the death penalty deters more than life imprisonment does. But, in considering the justification of deterrence, I again invite everyone to consider the contradiction that taking a life will actually save others.

The government implemented a sustained, high-level advocacy campaign to try to stay Andrew and Myuran's executions. Eleven written representations were sent to Indonesian counterparts from 7 January—from the Prime Minister, the Governor-General, the Attorney-General, the Minister for Justice and Minister Bishop. Both the Prime Minister and Minister Bishop wrote joint letters with our colleagues from the opposition and the Greens. More than 100 parliamentarians conveyed their position in a joint letter to the Indonesian ambassador, and I thank the member for Fremantle for organising that. In those representations, we reiterated our respect for Indonesia's sovereignty, while pointing out the special circumstances that warranted mercy. Indonesia was in no doubt about our position. In addition, the member for Berowra and the member for Fowler are co-convenors of the Australian Parliamentarians Against the Death Penalty group, which now has over 60 members.

As I said at the outset, there is strength in unity, and as parliamentarians we have come together to speak to the world to say that, wherever possible, we will not tolerate the death penalty. As parliamentarians of this great Parliament of Australia, we must remain united and we must condemn the death penalty, whatever country it still occurs in.

See this speech in context