Richard Farmer's Daily Email Briefing

Timely insights into politics every weekday.

FREE trial

ACCESS BACK ISSUES
HERE

NEWS AND VIEWS
Australia

Other Countries

Death Penalty Pressure

Wednesday, 19th April, 2006

The death penalty imposed on two of the Bali Nine drug runners is another looming difficulty for Prime Minister John Howard in Australia's relationship with Indonesia. Appeals against the sentences will be heard soon and if they are dismissed executions will be quickly scheduled. Only the intervention of the Indonesian President Soesilo Bambang Yudhoyono can then save the two lives.

The politics of this issue will be complex for Mr Howard. He will wish to avoid further upsetting the Indonesians by protesting too loudly about the death penalty but will be under considerable pressure within Australia to do so. That pressure will largely come from church leaders who have been leading the protest against amending the immigration laws in an effort to avoid the arrival of more West Papuans.

This "church" constituency has been very supportive of the Liberals at the last two elections.

For Mr Howard it is a real "between a rock and a hard place" issue.