Sally Sitou (Reid, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. What is the latest information on the case of Professor Sean Turnell, who recently returned to Australia after being wrongfully imprisoned for two years in Myanmar?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is a great honour to have Professor Sean Turnell here in the chamber—

Honourable members: Hear, hear!

It is a great honour to have Professor Sean Turnell here in the chamber today with his magnificent wife, Dr Ha Vu. I most enjoyed our discussion prior to question time, when I welcomed him into my office. I had the pleasure of speaking with Sean when we both touched down in Bangkok just a couple of weeks ago—indeed, less than a couple of weeks ago. As we entered the chamber here, Sean said to me that two weeks ago he was there in the prison, incarcerated by a regime that has trashed human rights in Myanmar and that incarcerated Professor Turnell, who was there in Myanmar giving advice to Aung San Suu Kyi, the democratically elected leader of Myanmar, on how their economy could be improved. What he endured in his 650 days of incarceration is something that no human being should have to endure, yet he has done it with grace and, even in inhumane conditions, with profound humanity.

Our relief and joy at your release are also tinged with no small amount of awe—awe and respect at your courage, your optimism and your resilience. We are so glad, as you've seen from the response across the chamber here, to have you back.

I do want to also pay tribute to Dr Ha Vu. As Professor Turnell said in the 7.30 interview—the magnificent interview, which I would encourage everyone to watch, with Sarah Ferguson the other night—this wasn't in the marriage vows. There must have been times when you felt like you were in a prison of a different nature, but your determination, your fearless advocacy and the love that powered it all proved greater than the hate and everything that you and your beloved husband were up against.

What happened to Professor Turnell should never have happened, but, as he has said to me in our conversations, he was so grateful for the support he received from DFAT and our consular staff. Today I want to pay tribute to those who provided those glimmers of hope with their deliveries and their advocacy. They gave him hope during dark times.

I want to acknowledge the efforts of Foreign Minister Penny Wong and her team in securing his release. In particular, on behalf of Australia, a grateful nation, I thank for the exceptional assistance that we received our ASEAN partners and our other friends, including Japan, in securing Professor Turnell's release. It was a very good day. Professor Turnell struck me with his humility upon his release. It was quite extraordinary. I am so proud that he is now looking, it must be said, a fair bit healthier after what was an awful time.

Most of all, I want to thank Professor Turnell for being here today and for displaying the absolute best of the Australian spirit. I thank all those from across the political spectrum, from across our community who all campaigned so strongly and so consistently to secure the release. You are a most welcome guest, as is Dr Ha Vu.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

on indulgence—I want to join with the Prime Minister's fine words and welcome our two very special guests to the chamber today—and also their family and friends who are here to provide support. There was as much excitement up in the gallery as there was here on the floor of the chamber. I heard the Prime Minister speak yesterday, at our 34 Squadron Christmas drinks, about the story, Sean, of your request for the first meal, which I think was a pub meal—a pretty simple request facilitated by the Royal Australian Air Force and the fine work that they undertook.

I too want to congratulate all of those officials who have been involved in this fight for a long period of time. I want to say thank you to the Prime Minister and thank you to former prime minister Morrison. I acknowledge the work of Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong and her predecessor, Marise Payne. We spent many hours around the National Security Committee table, looking at every possible angle of how we could exert pressure, work with those neighbours and people in the region, across ASEAN—indeed, any influence from any partner across the world, covert and overt, in providing assistance to see the early release of Sean Turnell. It went on for way too long, and we were up against a very significant adversary.

In the end, your bravery has shone through. The demeanour and the grace with which you have carried yourself, Sean, is quite remarkable given what you have gone through and the passion that you have for the cause that you are fighting for: people less fortunate than yourself. All you desired was a better future for Myanmar and for that country to advance into the world and not to regress, and that is on display in every public appearance that you have as well. As you point out, for your long-suffering wife as well, we acknowledge what you as a family have gone through: the pain, the separation, the pressure that that puts on individuals and on a relationship, the anxiety that it creates. But now, of course, the life that you can share is shared by our nation with you, and we wish you every success into the future.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And, on behalf of the parliament of Australia, a very warm welcome to Professor Turnell and his wife, Dr Ha Vu.

Honourable members: Hear, hear!