Remaining Bali Nine members would serve prison terms in Australia if transferred

Michaelia Cash has accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of having a bad track record “when it comes to dealing with criminals” amid reports the Government is close to securing a deal for the Bali Nine to serve out the remainder of their sentences in Australia.

Discussions are continuing between Australia and Indonesia over the repatriation of the five remaining members of the group who were convicted in 2006 of being part of a heroin smuggling ring.

Mr Albanese raised the matter with new Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto when they met on the sidelines of the G20 summit last week. He has also discussed it previously with Joko Widodo.

Cabinet minister Don Farrell confirmed on Sunday that if the deal did come to fruition, the five men — Si Yi Chen, Michael Czugaj, Matthew Norman, Scott Rush and Martin Stephens — would serve out the remainder of their life sentences in Australian prisons.

“The proposal isn’t, as I understand it, to release these people. They would continue to serve their sentence, except they’re serving them in Australia,” he told Sky News.

But Senator Cash, the shadow attorney-general, said there were too many unknown details.

“What’s the nature of the deal? Who’s paying for it? What’s Australia giving up in return? And will they or won’t they continue to serve the balance of their sentence in Australia?” she said.

“I mean, it’s a reality that Mr Albanese, when it comes to dealing with criminals … he doesn’t have a great track record.”

She went on to refer to the non-citizens released from immigration facilities after the High Court ruled infinite detention for people with no prospect of being deported was unconstitutional.

Senator Cash would not say whether her view was that the Australians should remain in Indonesian jails.

“If you’re asking me, would this have been a priority of a government I am in, a priority for me is dealing with the cost of living crisis that the Australian people are under as a result of Mr Albanese and his government’s actions,” she said.

“Any Australian going up to Asia, but in particular to Indonesia, knows they have the death penalty for drugs. It’s as simple as that.

“And in the case of the Bali Nine, they were convicted of … being part of a heroin smuggling syndicate to import back into Australia in excess of eight kilos of heroin.

“I’m a hater of drug-related crimes because I have met parents whose children have died as a result of taking drugs.”

Cabinet minister Murray Watt said they were “pretty strange remarks” from someone who aspired to again be Australia’s attorney-general.

“It’s up to Michaelia Cash and Peter Dutton to explain their position on the Bali Nine. From the Australian government’s perspective, we will always advocate for Australians who get into trouble overseas, whoever they might be,” he told reporters.

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said that was a “cruel and heartless” approach.

“If you want a glimpse of what a Peter Dutton government will look like, this is it. Don’t be fooled (by) Dutton in lamb’s clothes,” she told ABC’s Insiders.

The Bali Nine were arrested in Indonesia after a tip-off from the Australian Federal Police, a decision that has come under scrutiny given Australia opposes the death penalty.

In 2015 when two other members of the convicted group, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, were approaching their execution date, former prime ministers Malcolm Fraser, Bob Hake, Paul Keating, John Howard, Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard made a united plea for their lives to be spared

Then-leader Tony Abbott also appealed for clemency on their behalf.

Another of the group died in jail from cancer and Renae Lawrence was released in 2018 after her sentence was commuted.

Mr Albanese has advocated for the release of Australian prisoners from foreign jails throughout his time as Prime Minister, including Cheng Lei, Sean Turnell and Chau Van Kham.