Don’t expect government to save you says Downer
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It is time for “lazy or silly” Australian tourists who get in trouble overseas to take responsibility for their own actions, former Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer says.
In an article written for the Adelaide Advertiser, Mr Downer cites the recent case involving Melbourne woman Annice Smoel who was accused of stealing a bar mat from a Thai bar, the Schappelle Corby case, and the evacuation of thousands of Australians from war-affected Lebanon in 2006.
Mr Downer says the Australian government could not perform miracles in other countries, and tourists should be more aware of what is expected of them when they travel.
“There are no special laws for Australians overseas. Foreigners make the laws over there, not us,” he wrote.
Mr Downer was foreign affairs minister from 1996 to 2007
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