Prime Minister Tony Abbott has spoken up for the "well and truly reformed" Bali Nine members who are edging closer to execution, but Indonesia's president is so far unmoved.
Joko Widodo has denied clemency to Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan's rejection is expected to follow soon.
Their Indonesian lawyers are preparing a desperate legal appeal - the very validity of which is in doubt - but made more urgent after six prisoners were executed two days ago.
Prisoners from Brazil and The Netherlands were among the men and women shot on Sunday, and the countries have recalled their ambassadors in protest.
Australia won't rule out following suit if the Bali Nine ringleaders are killed.
Mr Abbott on Tuesday gave them a strong endorsement.
"I hope that the evidence of genuine remorse, of genuine rehabilitation, means that even at this late stage ... this might be accepted, because in the end, mercy has to be a part of every justice system," he told Sydney radio station WSFM.
"I think that these two are well and truly reformed characters.
"I hope that the Indonesians will accept that, acknowledge it and act appropriately."
Despite the diplomatic pressure, Mr Joko is showing no sign of changing tack on the issue of drug traffickers.
"There's pressure here and there, but once again, we are in the position of a drug emergency," he said at the inauguration of a mosque at Pontianak, in West Kalimantan, on Tuesday.
He also stressed that those being executed had been sentenced to death by the courts, "not by the president, OK? Be careful. They were sentenced by the courts."
Australia has raised the cases of Chan and Sukumaran with Indonesia more than 50 times, but the rejection of presidential clemency has exhausted their legal avenues.
Their Indonesian lawyer, Todung Mulya Lubis, will seek a further judicial review in the courts this week.
But the success of the bid hangs on an unresolved dispute between the supreme and constitutional courts on how many judicial reviews a prisoner can have.
The western Sydney pair have become Kerobokan jail's model prisoners in the years since their 2005 heroin-smuggling attempt.
Sukumaran is considered a leader and mentor after establishing an art studio, and Chan leads church services.
Prison governor Sudjonggo says he will allow both families to visit at any time.
"We will not limit their visiting hours, especially when they're coming from Australia," he said.
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