Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister update the House on the diplomatic efforts being made to support Australian Karm Gillespie in light of the death sentence imposed on him over the weekend?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government and I are very sad and concerned that an Australian citizen, Mr Karm Gillespie, has been sentenced to death in China. The foreign minister and Australian officials have raised Mr Gillespie's case with Chinese counterparts on a number of occasions. Australia's opposition to the death penalty is bipartisan, multipartisan, unanimous, principled, consistent and well known. We advocate consistently for the abolition of the death penalty worldwide by every diplomatic avenue available to us. We will continue to provide Mr Gillespie with consular assistance and engage China on his case. Our thoughts are with him, his family and his loved ones.