Education Minister Jason Clare has appealed to Laos authorities to accept an Australian offer to help investigate the deaths of two Melbourne teenagers from methanol poisoning.

Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, both 19, died after consuming tainted alcohol in the tourist town of Vang Vieng last year.

Defence Minister Richard Marles told federal parliament on Thursday that he was sad to report that authorities in Laos had not yet taken up an offer of assistance from the Australian Federal Police.

“I would want to assure the families of Bianca and Holly that we remain in contact with the Laos authorities and that the offer of assistance is consistently being offered and raised,” he said.

On Friday, Clare said it was disappointing the offer hadn’t been accepted. But discussions with the Laos government were continuing.

“Two young Australian women died here. We need to know how this happened,” he told Seven’s Sunrise.

“Their mums and dads deserve to know how they died.

“We need to make sure the people responsible for this are brought to justice as well, and also make sure that this doesn’t happen to any other young Australians.”

Clare said the federal police offer still stood.

“We would just encourage the Laos authorities to take up this offer because we can help,” he said.

Bowles died in a Bangkok hospital on November 22, a day after Jones died in another hospital in the Thai capital.

The teenagers were rushed to hospital feeling ill on November 13. It followed a a night out at the local Jaidee Bar, after which they spent 24 hours in their room at the Nana Backpacker Hostel.

Inquiring about progress in the case on Thursday, independent MP Zoe Daniel told parliament the Bowles and Jones families were desperate for information about the investigation and whether anyone would be held responsible to avoid a repeat of the poisoning.

The Laotian government vowed to “bring the perpetrators to justice in accordance with the law” after six foreign nationals died. They included an American man, two Danish women and a British woman, as well as the two young Australians.

At least eight people, believed to be hotel staff and management, were detained. But officials in Laos have released almost no details in the mass poisoning case since November.

“We will continue to press Laos to pursue this investigation as we will continue to offer the assistance of the Australian government through the AFP,” Marles said.

“What happened to Holly and Bianca struck at the heart of the nation.”

He said Foreign Minister Penny Wong had also advocated on the families’ behalf.

-with AAP