The Prime Minster, Julia Gillard, has taken a personal interest in the plight of a 14-year-old NSW boy arrested on drug charges in Indonesia, speaking to him over the phone yesterday to offer reassurance.
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The Prime Minister's office confirmed to smh.com.au that Ms Gillard told the boy the government was doing "everything it could" to get him out of the situation.
Ms Gillard has also spoken daily to Australia's Indonesian ambassador, Greg Moriarty, and yesterday she also spoke to the boy's father, who was at the Denpasar police station with Mr Moriarty.
The boy, from the central coast, now has the personal attention of both the Prime Minister and the Foreign Affairs Minister, Kevin Rudd.
Mr Rudd has labelled the boy's situation a priority, has spoken to his parents and had frequent contact with Mr Moriarty.
On the weekend, some commentators accused Mr Rudd of over-egging the situation to advance his resurgent push for the leadership.
Mr Rudd has rejected this, saying it is his job as Foreign Minister to deal with situations like this.
Ms Gillard and Mr Rudd have been in frequent contact over the matter, Ms Gillard's office said.
The boy has access to his parents' mobile phones.
His legal team are hoping he may be released under article 128 of Indonesia's drug laws, which allows for those caught with small amounts of drugs to be released if they can prove they are addicts, generally defined as frequent users of drugs.
Phillip Coorey is the Herald's Chief Political Correspondent.
