<<"It is disheartening to observe the lengths to which
the federal government will go to support the 14
year old boy in Bali compared with the lengths the
government woll go to not support children in detention
and refugees in our own country>>

It is enlightenment to observe the lengths to which the Indonesia govt will go to support purported *minors* profiteering from people smuggling activities --yet seek to impose the harshest penalties on Oz youth who might infringe their drug laws.

<<The Indonesian embassy estimates about 25 Indonesians in jails across Australia on people-smuggling charges claim they are children.

Indonesia consular official Andalusia Dewi said the number of children charged was a worrying issue and the embassy had expressed its concerns with Australian officials since the start of the year.

She said the Indonesian government would like to see accused smugglers disputing their age detained in juvenile detention, instead of prison, until a court had determined if they were adults. Prosecutors do not proceed with people-smuggling charges when a court rules an accused is a child>>
http://www.intellasia.net/news/articles/society/111328202.shtml

According to the Herald the young man was flaunting his Cannabis in the faces of numerous locals, shop-owners and passers-by during his stay in Bali before the cops got him.
So I think the answer to this thread is that the 14 year old DID know better, but was too arrogant to control himself.

Anyway, I feel more pity on the people that have lived in Bali for the past 30 years watching their neighborhoods go from peaceful laid-back Utopias, turn into ratty ghettos inundated with drugged out, self-absorbed, bad-tempterd, drunken, tight-arsed foreigners from Australia only looking for cheap drugs, cheap (usually unwilling and pimped) prostitutes, and to let the worst side of themselves (that they are too cowardly to show at home) be flaunted in people's faces because they think they're better than the locals.

When I was in Bangkok a few years ago, I spoke to some locals who were actually amazed I wasn't some kind of pedophile pervert coming there for the Red-Light Districts- which paints a sad picture of what kind of example our overseas tourists are setting to others in our name.

In fact, you might notice that the major towns in Bali don't even have many actually Balinese people around anymore (most of the people that work there are from East Java- who are quick to take the ferry back to their islands once they've closed up for the day, rather than stick around.

It seems that the destructive impact of bad migrants that don't integrate goes both ways.

Ok, so it ha been said that we have many diplomats working around th clock on this case, so, th question remains, should we, the tax payer, pay for this.

And Lexi, I understand your point about judging the parents, however, this is like allowing an alcoholic to work in a brewey.

Prevention is always better than cure.

I just hope they offer to pay the costs here.

The danger in blaming parents without good knowledge of the situation is that parents are not the only influence on kids and other have little control over some of the influences on their children. Attempts to manage "bad" influences can often just drive the kid's further into rebellion.

Kid's seem to pick up a lot more of what they are taught about rights than what they are taught of responsibility.

Good parents can and do end up with teenage kid's making really bad choices.

R0bert

Robert, I understand and agree, however, this is not te issue here.

My concern is, what would motivate a parent to take a known drug effected child to a place where the penalty for drugs can be as harsh as death.

This is the part I'm having trouble understanding.

Disputes get resolved, but not by prejudging and fixed ideas.
On what evidence can we say why this kid found trouble.
Do we understand parents no matter how hard they try,how good they are, can not always control the actions of a 14 year old boy or girl.
And pay!
Annoying.
Guilty or not these Australian public servants are paid to do such work.
Stop please involving humanity and any country's needed support in money.
We do not even know if he is a fool or a victim a sick boy or unlucky one.
He is in another country.
Be honest,if he was your son/grand son what would you say.
If it is leave him there he would be better without you in his life.
We should respect this country's laws.
drop plans to boycott Bali/stop trying to soften their laws.
And hope, if the kid bought it on himself, he spends the next 2 and a bit weeks thinking about his future.
PLEASE do not bring him home a hero or you may destroy him.