Foreign Minister Penny Wong says she shares the anger of Australian parents whose teenagers died from methanol poisoning in Laos, and has urged that the hostel where the women were poisoned remain shut.
Bianca Jones and Holly Morton-Bowles, both 19, both from Melbourne, were among six people who died last November after drinking methanol-laced cocktails in the tourist town of Vang Vieng.
Standing beside their mothers, Michelle Jones and Samantha Morton, as they launched an awareness campaign aimed at keeping other teenagers heading overseas safe, Wong said she would continue to push for accountability over their deaths.
Wong said the investigation "so far has not been good enough", with over 50 representations made to the Laos government.
"What I would say is we've made clear to Laos, this matters to Australia," Wong told reporters in Melbourne on Tuesday.
"It matters to the families, it matters to the community. And we want full accountability, we want transparency, and we'll continue to make that clear."
Wong said that she'd pressed the Laos ambassador as recently as Monday about the lack of progress in the investigation, as well as reports that the Nana Backpackers Hostel might reopen.
"I made it clear to him that Australia's view is that the hostel should not reopen," she said.
Holly Morton-Bowles (left) and Bianca Jones (right) died from methanol poisoning after drinking contaminated alcohol at the backpacker hostel they were staying at in Laos. Credit: SUPPLIED BY 7NEWS/PR IMAGE
Despite the federal government continuing to press for a transparent investigation, local authorities have released almost no details on the mass poisoning case for almost a year.
SBS News has contacted the Laos embassy in Australia for comment.
'Come home safely': Overseas schoolies warning
Returning to the Melbourne airport where they waved their daughters goodbye, the two mothers launched a video education campaign aimed at stopping other young Australians from being poisoned overseas.
"Parents should have the conversation to sit them down before they go away ... and be aware of the dangers," Michelle Jones said on Tuesday.
"All of this information is amazing — our girls didn't have it. We didn't know anything about methanol, so to have this go out to schoolies before they leave, they will come home safely."
Schoolies refers to the end of high school celebrations in November and December, with some teenagers opting to head overseas instead of local party destinations.
Bianca Jones' and Holly Morton-Bowles' families are angry the hostel where they died could reopen. Source: AAP / Allanah Sciberras
Only 18 per cent of those attending schoolies overseas are concerned about the dangers.
As some Year 12 students finish their tertiary education this week, the videos reminding them to celebrate safely will be launched across social media, busy airport hubs, as well as school environments.
Education Minister Jason Clare said he wanted teenagers to celebrate but "come home safe".
"I see a really important role here for our schools in helping to make sure that we get this message across to young people as they finish their exams," he said.
"As they head to the airport and they think about all the fun that they're about to have, to make sure that they read this information, and they come back to the people that they love, safe and sound."
With reporting by the Australian Associated Press.
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