Palmer wants to outlaw death penalty help

Federal MP Clive Palmer says authorities shouldn't pass information to foreign countries that could risk Australians overseas facing the death penalty.

Federal MP Clive Palmer wants it to be illegal for authorities and intelligence agencies to pass on information to foreign countries that could result in the execution of Australians overseas.

The outspoken MP has announced he'll introduce a private member's bill to parliament within the next month after the deaths of Bali Nine ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran by firing squad in Indonesia.

The Foreign Death Penalty Offences (Preventing Information Disclosure) Bill 2015 will see public officials imprisoned for up to 15 years if they disclose information that could cause an Australian in a foreign country to be at risk of receiving the death penalty.

Mr Palmer said the bill could have prevented Australian Federal Police from contacting Indonesian police about the Bali Nine after Lee Rush, the father of drug courier Scott Rush, approached authorities to stop his son before he travelled overseas.

"All Australians, I think, agree that when a parent or another member of the community contacts their trusted agencies ... that that outcome shouldn't be one which will result in the death of the person they're seeking to help," Mr Palmer said.

He suggested authorities should have arrested the Bali Nine at the airport in Australia, but passed the buck because "it was easier to make a call to Indonesia".

Mr Palmer urged Australians to protest against the executions, including boycotting Indonesia as a holiday destination.

He also questioned why Indonesia, a G20 nation, received so much foreign aid.

But he stopped short of calling for aid to be cut.

"It surprises me why we give so much foreign aid to a country like that when we see what's happened in Nepal (earthquake) and other poverty around the globe," Mr Palmer said.

"Certainly we need to consider need, rather than greed."

FOREIGN DEATH PENALTY OFFENCES (PREVENTING INFORMATION DISCLOSURE) BILL 2015

* Aimed to prevent disclosure of information to foreign countries that could see Australians receive death penalty

* It would apply to all public officials, including those at spy agencies like ASIO

* Maximum penalty is 15 years in jail

* Mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail

* Exemptions apply for terrorism and violent offences

* Exemption would require certificate from Attorney-General.


Share

3 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world