Former Childers mayor Bill Trevor has broken down as he handed over 30 victim impact statements from survivors of the fatal backpacker fire in Childers in 2000 to the Queensland Parole Board today.
Convicted murderer Robert Paul Long was sentenced to 20 years in jail after 15 people died in the deliberately lit blaze that destroyed the Palace Backpacker Hostel at Childers in southern Queensland in June 2000.
Long was convicted of the murders of two victims who died in the blaze and he has now applied to be released from jail after becoming eligible for parole.
Mr Trevor, who was mayor at the time of the fire, said in a tearful plea that Long should not be let out of prison.
"The anger that they [family and friends] feel — that Robert Long may walk the streets very soon, the fact that he has shown no remorse, the fact that 13 other people died in the fire, and the effect he has had on so many lives right around the world," he said.
"You can't spend three years of your life like I did putting the memorial together, comforting the survivors and speaking to families overseas … and not affect your heart.
"It is something that will stay in my heart for the rest of my life.
"There are still people mentally suffering anguish today, 20 years down the track."
Richard Tempest survived the fire but continues to live with post traumatic stress as a result of the trauma.
"It will probably effect me for the rest of my life," he said.
Mr Tempest too feels strongly that Long should not be released from prison, despite serving the maximum penalty given at the time.
"I, along with the 69 others from around the world, managed to escape from that burning inferno of which we were woken to on that night. and 15 others did not," Mr Tempest said.
Both men feel confident their submissions would be heard after briefly meeting with QPB president Michael Byrne QC today.
A petition calling for Long not to be granted parole will also be presented to the parole board next week.
It started 10 days ago and already has 17,000 signatures.
A decision on Long's parole application should be made within 120 days.
