Bali Nine: Liberal MP Luke Simpkins tells party room voters are tired of hearing about Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran

Updated

Federal Liberal MP Luke Simpkins has told his party room voters are tired of the Government talking about Bali Nine drug smugglers Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.

The ABC has spoken to multiple sources in the meeting who say the West Australian MP said he had received feedback from the community that voters were unhappy with reports Foreign Minister Julie Bishop had been prepared to pay for the pair to stay in an Indonesian jail for life, if Jakarta spared them from execution.

One MP said Mr Simpkins suggested the Government had "exhausted all avenues", and needed to shift its focus elsewhere.

It is understood Victorian MP Russell Broadbent, a moderate on social issues, expressed a similar sentiment.

"Russell said it was very sad and very tragic that these young men had got themselves in this situation but that all had been done," the MP said.

The MP noted the Letters to the Editor page of The West Australian had recently included similar feedback after it published a letter from Ms Bishop to her Indonesian counterpart, Retno Marsudi.

The paper said Ms Bishop wrote requesting the men be transferred to Australia in exchange for the return of Indonesian prisoners in Australian jails: "As discussed, the Australian Government would be prepared to cover the costs of the ongoing life imprisonment of Mr Chan and Mr Sukumaran should a transfer not be possible."

When questioned about the report at the time, Ms Bishop said "there isn't any particular proposal".

"What I was seeking to do was open discussions between officials so that we could explore opportunities," she said.

"I was putting forward different options that they might wish to consider, subject to them being available under Indonesian law and Australian law.

"So I just came up with a range of proposals but none of them went into any details and I'm still waiting to hear back from Indonesia as to whether they wanted to discuss any of these proposals."

MPs question focus on Bali Nine duo

The ABC has been told Ms Bishop told yesterday's Liberal party room meeting she treated consular issues as if they were being faced by someone's brother, son or husband.

Another source said the tenor of the discussion was that Ms Bishop had "done a great job" fighting to save the men's lives and that while Liberal MPs do not support the death penalty, "people don't want to hear about it anymore ... they think that's all we're focused on".

In Question Time today Queensland independent MP Bob Katter also questioned the focus.

"Doesn't fighting for traffickers, however justified, reinforce to Indonesia that our Government's manifest colonial like indifference to Asian sensitivities, laws and customs?," he said.

Alluding to the damage Labor's temporary suspension of the live cattle trade to Indonesia did to Australia's relationship with Jakarta, Mr Katter added: "Northern cattleman got burnt, who next Minister?"

Ms Bishop responded saying the trade relationship remains strong: "And yes, there will be challenges in the relationship, as there are with any relationships."

Speaking this morning Ms Bishop said she has been unable to confirm reports the planned executions of Chan and Sukamaran could be delayed for several months.

Indonesian attorney-general Muhammad Prasetyo has stated many times that he "will wait until everything is finalised" on the legal appeals of several foreigners on death row.

One of those is a Filipino drug courier Mary Jane Fiesta.

Ms Bishop said the Government is continuing efforts to win clemency for the pair.

"I have not received that advice from any Indonesian authority," she said.

"I learn a great deal about this case through the Indonesian media so I don't know whether those reports are correct or not."

Topics: foreign-affairs, government-and-politics, liberals, political-parties, australia

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