Burnie parents Dorothy and Barry Cunningham last night presented a petition containing more than 6200 signatures to State Parliament in a bid to keep their daughter's killer behind bars.
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The couple sat in the House of Assembly public gallery as Attorney-General Peter Patmore accepted the petition calling for convicted murderer Alan John Smith to serve out his life sentence.
Smith was sentenced to prison for the term of his natural life 26 years ago for the murder and sexual assault of seven-year-old Burnie girl Janine Cunningham.
But Justice Pierre Slicer ruled in 1997 that Smith would be eligible for parole on December 4, 2000.
Mrs Cunningham said that it was an important moment for her and her husband, but she was not confident about what would happen next.
``I think his (Smith's) application for parole should be given the same consideration as he gave Janine when she cried out to her mother before he killed her,'' she said.
``I think that if you're sent to jail for the term of your natural life, you should stay there and never come out.
``We shouldn't have to be fighting after all these years to keep him in jail you shouldn't have to worry about it.''
Mr Patmore said that he expressed deep sympathy for the Cunninghams, saying that the petition would be forwarded to the Parole Board for consideration when Smith's case was heard in December.
``I have no doubt that I would feel the same as you do now if it was my child,'' Mr Patmore said.
Braddon Labor MHA Steve Kons said that he would pray that the Parole Board would take into account the community's expectations.
``I believe the judiciary is out of touch with community expectations. They are not part of mainstream Australia, which expects community standards to be upheld,'' Mr Kons said.
``I hope the Parole Board has the wisdom to keep Smith inside.''