A Sydney Federal Labor backbencher says a permanent Commonwealth ban on the death penalty will help the campaign to get Australians off death row in Bali.
The member for Werriwa, Chris Hayes, says current legislation means the death penalty could be reintroduced by the states.
He has moved a notice of motion in Federal Parliament to stop that happening.
Mr Hayes says it was the plight of the convicted drug smuggler, 22-year-old Scott Rush, that motivated him to action.
"What parent of an 18-year-old hasn't got concerns about the people their child mixes with or sometimes associates with?," he said.
Scott Rush and two other Australians, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, face the death by firing squad in Indonesia.
The three Australians are members of the so-called Bali nine, who were caught trying to smuggle more than 8.2 kilograms of heroin from the resort island of Bali to Australia in 2005.
Chris Hayes says his bill also sends a clear message that Australia opposes the death penalty, increasing the diplomatic pressure on Indonesia.
"If we did take this step it would communicate to the world at large our general opposition to the death penalty," he said.
"It would actually give us greater standing when we do make a request for clemency to the leaders of a country such as Indonesia."
It will be debated when Parliament resumes the week after next.
Source: ABC News
The member for Werriwa, Chris Hayes, says current legislation means the death penalty could be reintroduced by the states.
He has moved a notice of motion in Federal Parliament to stop that happening.
Mr Hayes says it was the plight of the convicted drug smuggler, 22-year-old Scott Rush, that motivated him to action.
"What parent of an 18-year-old hasn't got concerns about the people their child mixes with or sometimes associates with?," he said.
Scott Rush and two other Australians, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, face the death by firing squad in Indonesia.
The three Australians are members of the so-called Bali nine, who were caught trying to smuggle more than 8.2 kilograms of heroin from the resort island of Bali to Australia in 2005.
Chris Hayes says his bill also sends a clear message that Australia opposes the death penalty, increasing the diplomatic pressure on Indonesia.
"If we did take this step it would communicate to the world at large our general opposition to the death penalty," he said.
"It would actually give us greater standing when we do make a request for clemency to the leaders of a country such as Indonesia."
It will be debated when Parliament resumes the week after next.
Source: ABC News
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