Ann Sudmalis (Gilmore, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Many of us in this House have received emails asking for our opinion about this issue and asking how we feel about this issue—including emails from parents who have been affected by people dealing drugs. There are two sides to this argument. I hear both sides clearly, and I know that it means a great deal to these people. But at no time should the death penalty ever be on the table for any person.

This particular case brought the passions of the Australian people to the fore in the media, and for all people from all sides of government. These two men did change their lives and they did express remorse for what they did. There has to be something in the system that says, 'If you change, and if you accept that you did the wrong thing, there is some chance of forgiveness to some extent'. They could have stayed in jail for that period of time and continued to do the work that they were doing, and that would perhaps have been a better outcome. I think most people in Australia would have accepted that.

The fact that they lost their lives has made a big impact on people here. We do know that when you go to a nation you have follow the laws of the land, and any visitor to that nation knows that, if you traffic in drugs, the consequences are pretty serious. By the same token, it is not the best outcome to just say that you will lose your life. To have this going on for 10 years was extraordinarily difficult for all members of their families and their friends. It sort of said: 'Yes, maybe you will be forgiven. And maybe you will not.' The way it was brought to the public's attention was pretty devastating for everyone involved.

So it is pretty special to see both sides of the House being quite undivided on this. There are not that many occasions when this House works collegiately together, and this is certainly an issue that has brought us together on a very special issue. I think it is an issue that we should all look at in greater depth. It horrifies me that there are nations in the world where one of the consequences of being convicted of a crime is still beheading. It is of concern that life is held so cheaply when there is a chance a person will change the way they live and they way they look at life. So, yes, we know there are consequences, but this is not one of the best consequences that should happen. Our thoughts go to the families. Our thoughts also remain with the families of those who deal in drugs, because drugs are a scourge on our society. I am completely convinced that those who have anything to do with hard drugs are affecting our community very badly, and I think there should be considerable consequences.

Ice is something that there should be a heavy penalty for—not the death penalty, but that is in fact what happens to some of the people who take it. I am very concerned about that. We have to have consequences; people should know they are doing the wrong thing. My community is up in arms about ice. We have a number of very difficult circumstances.

I have lots of people in my community who wrote to me on this issue, from both sides of the spectrum. One was: 'For heaven's sakes, they should have got it over and done with years ago'. Others said, 'This should never have happened. This should never have been an outcome.' And others said, 'Drugs are a desperate and dangerous substance and we need to look very carefully at the way they interact with our people'.

I can only say that the death penalty is not the right avenue. We need to be more educative, more careful with our people. We need to make sure that our young people are well aware of what the consequences are when they travel or when they dabble in these substances. Thank you.

See this speech in context