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Gillard talks to alleged drug boy in Indonesia

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has spoken to a 14-year-old NSW boy arrested on drug charges in Indonesia.

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Source: AAP


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Prime Minister Julia Gillard has spoken to a 14-year-old NSW boy arrested on drug charges in Indonesia.

The prime minister's office said Ms Gillard told the boy and his father in a telephone conversation on Sunday that the government was doing "everything it could" to get him out of the situation.

The opportunity to talk to the pair came up when Ms Gillard was on a phone call to Australia's ambassador, Greg Moriarty, while he was at the Denpasar police station.

"The prime minister is following the case closely and with concern," a spokesman for Ms Gillard said.

Ms Gillard and Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, who has also become involved personally in the case, have been in frequent contact over the matter, Ms Gillard's office said.

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She is also being briefed daily by officials.

Earlier, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said he felt for the boy's family, saying they were in "a terrible situation".

Mr Abbott said he would like to see the Indonesian authorities treat the boy with decency.

"You've just got to be incredibly careful to stay away from any bad situations in foreign countries," he told Triple M radio.


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