Fed: Nguyen poll shows Australians hate drug pushers - Beazley

AAP General News (Australia)
12-01-2005
Fed: Nguyen poll shows Australians hate drug pushers - Beazley

CANBERRA, Dec 1 AAP - A poll showing almost half of Australians believe convicted drug
smuggler Nguyen Tuong Van should be executed reflects their hate of drug pushers, Opposition
Leader Kim Beazley says.

A Morgan Poll conducted last night found 47 per cent of Australians believe the Melbourne
man, who is scheduled to die by hanging in Singapore Changi prison tomorrow, should go
to the gallows.

But 46 per cent said the death penalty should not be carried out and seven per cent
were undecided.

"What that reflects is that Australians hate drugs. They hate drug pushers," Mr Beazley
told reporters.

"Nobody here, nobody I know, defends, in any way, shape or form, Nguyen's actions here.

"He deserved to spend time in jail.

"But in all the circumstances, he doesn't deserve to die.

"Anyone who sits down and seriously thinks about the case, however, would not think
what seems to be about to happen is appropriate."

Mr Beazley said the Nguyen case had certainly placed a cloud over the relationship
with Singapore.

"I'm not one of those who goes around advocating punitive actions and that sort of
thing," he said.

"What we're trying to do is change people's consciences, change people's minds.

"You don't change people's minds by threatening them. You change people's minds by
persuading them."

Mr Beazley said he would attend church tomorrow to reflect on the execution.

AAP dep/sb/jt/sd

KEYWORD: NGUYEN BEAZLEY

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