New Nine Today presenter Sam Armytage has put the Queensland Premier on the spot over whether his state would be happy to see the return of freed Bali Nine drug dealers.
Matthew Norman, Martin Stephens, Si Yi Chen, Scott Rush and Michael Czugaj returned to Australia on a commercial Jetstar flight on Sunday and were given temporary accommodation at the Howard Springs quarantine camp.
‘Some of these men are from Queensland. Would you be happy to see them resettled in Queensland, Armytage asked Premier David Crisafulli on Monday morning.
Crisafulli said wherever the men resettled, their integration into Australian society would take time.
“The integration process is going to be very, very hard for them, make no mistake about it,” Crisafulli said.
“But a decision has been made. We have to do everything we can to make sure that integration happens in the best way possible.
“And I’m sure that’s something all Australians will agree with.”
Previously, Crisafulli said that regardless of where the men went, he hoped the publicity surrounding their release would serve as a reminder to younger generations of the “enormous risks” involved in trying to smuggle illicit drugs internationally.
Nine’s Today presenter Sam Armytage returned to morning television with a big question about Bali Nine’s returning drug dealers.
“There will be a lot of young Australians who have never heard of the case or have only heard about it in passing,” Crisafulli said.
‘I have a zero tolerance approach when it comes to drugs and I have been quite vocal about it.
“And if highlighting this can remind people of the dangers of traveling abroad and trying to bring drugs back to the continent, well, maybe this decision will shed light on that and maybe, in that small way, stop someone from going and do something.” Very, very stupid.’
After spending 19 years behind bars in Indonesia, the five returning Bali Nine members will not have to serve prison terms in Australia.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese requested the transfer of the prisoners in a recent meeting with new Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto at the APEC summit last month, who agreed to allow the prisoners to return home on humanitarian grounds.
Martin Stephens, Michael Czugaj, Scott Rush, Matthew Norman and Si Yi Chen watch as Australian and Indonesian officials sign their releases before returning to Australia on Sunday.
The men were arrested along with Andrew Chan, Myuran Sukumaran, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen and Renae Lawrence in Bali in April 2005 when they attempted to smuggle 8.3kg of heroin strapped to their bodies from the resort island.
Ringleaders Chan and Sukumaran were executed by firing squad in April 2015.
Stephen’s former cellmate Nguyen died of cancer in 2018, while Lawrence was freed that year after her life sentence was reduced to 20 years on appeal.
There were no emotional reunions or fanfare when the men landed on a Jetstar flight in Darwin at 2.42pm on Sunday.
Their loved ones were aware of their imminent return, but authorities told them they could not be there to greet them, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Instead, the men were put on a bus and transported to the Howard Springs facility, which was previously a quarantine center during Covid.
Armytage interviewed Queensland Premier David Crisafulli
They will spend a short period of time here to continue their rehabilitation before reuniting with their families.
The men are not allowed to return to Indonesia in the future.
The five Australians will receive government support and medical care during their transition back to living in the community.
It is believed that there was no prisoner exchange or ‘quid pro quo’ with Indonesia as part of the men’s release.