Anthony Albanese wades into Gregor Haas row with father of NRL superstar Payne at risk of facing the death penalty amid alleged drug plot in Indonesia
- Anthony Albanese has waded into Gregor Haas row
- Father of NRL star Payne faces drug plot allegation
- He could be at risk of death penalty if found guilty
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the Australian government will provide consular assistance to Gregor Haas.
Haas, 46, was arrested in Cebu City in the Philippines earlier this week and faces extradition to Inonesia. He was moved to a prison in Manila on Sunday, with Seven reporting he could be deported as soon as Monday.
He is the father of NRL and Brisbane Broncos superstar Payne Haas.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Albanese was quizzed on the Australian goverrnment's stance on the arrest, given Haas Sr is at risk of facing the death penalty if found guilty.
'The Australian Government has a bipartisan position of being opposed to the death penalty for a long period of time,' Albanese said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has waded into the Gregor Haas row
Gregor Johann Haas, the father of Brisbane Broncos superstar Payne Haas, poses for his mugshot after being arrested in the Philippines
'That remains our position and we always make representations. It is, of course, at a very early stage of these accusations which have been made.
'We will provide consular assistance to Mr Hass, as we do for all Australian citizens in such circumstances.'
Haas is being detained in the Philippines, with authorities reportedly working on extraditing him to Indonesia.
Albanese said his government will fight for Haas.
'We will continue to make diplomatic representations in an appropriate way,' Albanese said in regards to deportation.
'One of the things that the Australian Government do is we stand up for Australian citizens, we make appropriate representations through diplomatic channels and we'll do doing that in this occasion again.'
Head of the Public Relations and Protocol Bureau of National Narcotics Board (BNN), Brigadier General Sulistyo Pudjo Hartono, said the 46-year-old had been tracked by Indonesian authorities following a drug trafficking case from December 5 last year, after allegedly being found with 5k of crystal methamphetamine.
'We will immediately take him. He used to move a lot, not only in Indonesia but other countries as well,' Hartono said via Indonesian news agency ANTARA.
Daily Mail Australia does not suggest any other members of the Haas family are involved in the alleged conduct of Gregor Haas.
Broncos star Payne took to the field for his side on Friday night in the team's 13-12 win over Manly, with coach Kevin Walters insisting that the club are providing all the support necessary for their star man.
Payne Haas (left) and his father Gregor are pictured at the 2019 Dally M awards
'Payne's a very strong individual and his family is as well. A lot of people probably don't understand or realise the person Payne is,' Walters said.
'He's a tremendous guy, tremendous family person and in this moment in time that he's going through we will get around him in every way we can to support him and his family. That's all we can do.
'Payne's just such a great person of integrity … and what he's doing with his family even before this incident is something we need to be very respectful of.'
