‘Albanese a dope’: Anna Wood’s father condemns Bali Nine repatriation

Tony Wood, whose 15-year-old daughter Anna died of an ecstasy overdose in 1995, said the return of the Bali Nine from Indonesia on Sunday sends the wrong message and the prime minister should never have got involved with their case.

The father of Anna Wood, 15, who died taking ecstasy in 1995, condemned Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s campaign to repatriate the remaining members of the Bali Nine, saying: “That Albanese is a dope.”

Tony Wood, 82, said the return of Scott Rush, Matthew Norman, Si-Yi Chen, Martin Stephens and Michael Czugaj from Indonesia on Sunday, “Is not something I agree with one bit.”

“What right has the Australian Government got to bring them back, so they don’t die in a squalid Bali jail?” he asked.

Speaking from his home in North Manly, Mr Wood, who says he still feels the ripples of ripples from Anna’s death almost 29 years later, added: “It’s people like them, the Bali Nine, who bring drugs into the country and, every once in a while, a user has a bad reaction to it and gets caught out and dies. I think of Anna every day, they say time heals but you never get over losing a child.

“Organising the return of the Nine should never have been a focus for Albanese, that man is a dope, a fool, he’s not very bright.”

Tony Wood and his wife Angela have never recovered from the death of their daughter Anna, 15, died from an ecstasy overdose in 1995. He says Albanese is a ‘dope” to bring back remaining five of the Bali Nine

“The rest of them should have stayed in Bali to serve the rest of their sentences there. We don’t want them here,” he said.

Anna Woods remains the most recognisable face in Australia’s ecstasy debate.

On October 21, 1995, she snuck out with mates to a rave at the Phoenician Club in Sydney, where she took an ecstasy tablet purchased by a female friend outside.

The morning after she began feeling unwell and was taken back to a friend’s house where she lapsed in and out of consciousness, before collapsing.

Tony Wood says he thinks of his daughter Anna who died after taking ecstasy and believes the remaining members of the Bali Nine should have been left to serve their sentences in Bali

She was put on life support at the Royal North Shore Hospital but lost her battle for survival.

The sister of executed Bali Nine member Myuran Sukumaran felt conflicted at the news of the five Australians’ return after her he was executed for his role over the heroin smuggling plot.

He was 23 when he was arrested.

Brintha Sukumaran, 40, said, “Wow what great news, I’m lost for words, they’re home for Christmas... but I feel sad for Myuran…” she said.

Brintha Sukumaran (C), the sister of Australian death row prisoner Myuran Sukumaran, said she was happy for the remaining members of the Bali Nine but felt saddened too little was done to save her brother. Photo: Getty Images

Sukumaran was executed by firing squad in Indonesia for smuggling heroin to Australia, in April 2015, with fellow Australian Andrew Chan and six drug convicted prisoners.

“I always knew the right government would come along and do the right thing,” she had said.

Sukumaran and Chan were found guilty of drug trafficking and sentenced to death on April 29, 2015, aged just 31 and 34 respectively.

Brintha Sukumaran and her mother Raji (left), father Sam (right) and brother Chinthu (far right) were traumatised by the death of her brother Myuran, who was executed by firing squad in Indonesia for smuggling heroin to Australia. Picture: AAP

They were sentenced to death for their parts in a 2005 attempt to smuggle more than 8kg of heroin with a street value of $4 million with Sukumaran branded the ring leader of the pack.

They were arrested at Denpasar Airport alongside Si Yi Chen, Michael Czugaj, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, Matthew Norman, Scott Rush, Martin Stephens and Renae Lawrence after information was given to Indonesian authorities by the AFP.

Stephens, Lawrence, Rush and Czugaj were discovered with packages of heroin strapped to their bodies.

The remaining three — Chen, Nguyen and Norman — were arrested at the Maslati Hotel at Kuta Beach with about 300 grams of heroin in their possession.

Seven were sentenced to life in prison by the Denpasar district court: Lawrence, Rush, Czugaj, Stephens, Norman, Chen and Nguyen.

All members of the Bali Nine lodged appeals against their sentences.

Lawrence successfully appealed to have her life sentence reduced to 20 years.

Myuran Sukumaran was executed in Indonesia for his role over the heroin smuggling plot

Czugaj successfully appealed for a reduced 20-year jail term, only to have it overturned and his life sentence reimposed.

Chen and Norman appealed and had their life sentences reduced to 20 years, only for those appeal verdicts to be overturned and the death penalty imposed.

Norman, Chen, Nguyen’s and Rush’s sentences were later reduced to life in prison.

Originally published as ‘Albanese a dope’: Anna Wood’s father condemns Bali Nine repatriation