Oliver Peterson: Australian correspondent on the families of the teenagers who died of methanol poisoning feeling 'insulted' over response

Grieving Australian families feel 'insulted' by silence around the death of two teens in Laos last year.

Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles died alongside four others staying at Nana Backpackers hostel - after accidentally drinking methanol in alcohol shots.

In latest news, up to 13 people may face charges related to food and health security, eliminating evidence, and unlawful business. 

Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says the parents of the victims have been met with silence from Laos authorities - and they're not happy about it.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Oliver Peterson, six PR Perth Life presenters with us.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
Now, hey, Alie, get ahead.

Speaker 1 (00:04):
Now those teams who died of the methanol poisoning, right,
the charges have been laid read those deaths, and the
parents aren't happy.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Now they're not. Thirteen people may face some charges over
this poisoning. Those deaths you're talking here.

Speaker 3 (00:14):
Of Bianca Jones and Hollybales in Lao earlier or last year,
I should say, but the parents are not happy because
they haven't heard much in about six months, they say, so.
This is six months after their deaths. They've been met
with silence from the governments over there.

Speaker 2 (00:29):
They've had a.

Speaker 3 (00:30):
Number of opportunities to try and ask some questions and
so through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade here
in Australia. Now that those thirteen people have been charged,
they are just concerned. And there was a story on
sixty Minutes last night that there's just going to be
no follow through here and the ball is going to
be dropped. Obviously, we're there's somewhat powerless, aren't they sitting
here in Australia when this has been committed overseas and

(00:53):
obviously asking our Foreign Affairs Department to intervene and to
obviously lobby the governments in LAO to proceed through the
judicial action that he's required. But you can understand they're
seeking answers.

Speaker 2 (01:03):
They want to know.

Speaker 3 (01:04):
It's it's been a huge story here in Australia, and
you know, I hate that term closure, Header, but that's
obviously what the family is after. But at least getting
some answers to some questions first and foremost will be
their priority.

Speaker 1 (01:15):
Incredibly disappointing for them. Gable Tosty A.

Speaker 2 (01:21):
Well, he's calling him so was he calling himself these days?

Speaker 3 (01:23):
Eric Thomas? Eric Thomas, Eric Thomas is his name. He
changed his name.

Speaker 1 (01:28):
Obviously, he's gone from a very romantic name, Gable Tossy,
to something extremely boring, isn't he?

Speaker 2 (01:34):
Isn't it like you go the other way?

Speaker 3 (01:35):
Right? I mean, I know this is a horrible story,
but if you wanted to change it, you know you
want to, you want to call the name right.

Speaker 2 (01:39):
But this guy's a grub, as we all know, and.

Speaker 3 (01:42):
He's got he's been upset Header because he's banned from
going to Star Casino in Brisbane, Sydney because it's it's
on domestic violence charge, and that's what I say. I'm
telling you why domestic violence charges. He's saying it's discrimination.
Now we all obviously know Gable Tosti he was a quit.
Never went through obviously with the fact that there were

(02:03):
claims there that he had been he murdered his tender date,
let's just put it there.

Speaker 2 (02:08):
But he's a quitted of that. So she plunged her
death from the apartment balcony.

Speaker 3 (02:11):
You remember, on the Gold Coast And we're going back
almost what ten years ago or so now we're in
a right of course in the Gold Coast apartment in
twenty fourteen.

Speaker 2 (02:20):
Yeah, but he's upset.

Speaker 3 (02:21):
He's really sad because he can't go to the casino anymore,
and he's saying they're discriminating against him, and you know,
allegations or whatever that have been acquitted. The stars come
out quite strongly saying, mate, your ban from here because
of domestic violence issues.

Speaker 2 (02:35):
So let's let's put the fact that you've been.

Speaker 1 (02:37):
Sort of is there a gag on what he actually
got up to in the domestic violence issues?

Speaker 2 (02:41):
There is, But.

Speaker 3 (02:44):
He's going to be taking this on the through the
legal system, and he's going to be back in the
courts in November this video.

Speaker 1 (02:52):
Isn't there correcto of doing something to a lady that
they have seen?

Speaker 2 (02:57):
Correct?

Speaker 1 (02:58):
Yeah? And so what's the discrimination?

Speaker 3 (03:00):
He's saying he's been discriminated against because he's a bloke
and he should be allowed to go in. Why would
he even want to go back in the Casino's another story?
But they've just come back that the Casino Star and
just sibmit the domestic violence charges of your problem.

Speaker 2 (03:12):
See you in court back in November this year.

Speaker 1 (03:15):
His argument, I thought this was his argument. His argument
is not that they're banning him because he was he
was given somebody the bash, but because he's a dude.

Speaker 3 (03:25):
Yeah, and it's causing but it's also causing him tremendous
psychological and social.

Speaker 2 (03:31):
Harm not to be able to gamble. Correct nothing.

Speaker 3 (03:33):
I would go to the Star like a mirror mate,
isn't he?

Speaker 2 (03:36):
Absolutely? And why would he want to bring the headlines
back on himself? Seriously?

Speaker 1 (03:41):
Because he's Barbara Streisend, isn't he? You were doing a
lot of barbar Streisending at the moment actually on this
show right. So now this defense pact that you guys
are going to sign with the EU is this for real?

Speaker 3 (03:52):
Well, you know there's close relationships being formed over in
the Vatican at the moment. So Anthony Alberneze's having a
check to the boss of the EU, the president of
the European Commissioners, you La von Dole.

Speaker 2 (04:05):
And they're about to sign something.

Speaker 3 (04:06):
I don't know what, but they just want to be
a bit closer to the EU and Iz I mean
kind of makes sense, right, EU and I was getting
into bed together and I'm enough. They want to get
rid of the luxury car tax. You're in Australia for example.

Speaker 1 (04:19):
I don't know if you're being sarcastic or not, but
I don't know what they think.

Speaker 2 (04:21):
You're going to do.

Speaker 1 (04:22):
I mean, if if they're being bombed by the Russians,
I think you're going to turn up with your five araplanes.

Speaker 2 (04:28):
That's right, send a ship. It'll be there in six months.

Speaker 1 (04:31):
It's just got to go all the way around. It's
just got to go all the way around Africa and
then up around and then come through. Just hang on a.

Speaker 2 (04:37):
Tick, correct.

Speaker 3 (04:39):
Can you remember we pissed off the French anyway, We
didn't buy their submarines, well, the American submarines.

Speaker 1 (04:44):
This is all just virtue signaling nonsense, but anyway, let
them do it whatever, Ollie, thank you appreciate it mate.
Thanks for Oliver Peterson six PR Perth Live presenter. For
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