Bali Nine Back in the News

I'm not sure how I feel about the remaining members of the Bali Nine drug mules being brought back to Australia.

On the one hand, public figures I respect and like have come out in support.

These smugglers have served 19 years in an Indonesian prison and have now been released into Australia as free men.

In every respect, they have 'served their time' and, like all prisoners, can avail of remissions and sentence reductions.

I sense that they pose no threat to society, and a condition of their release is that they continue to undergo rehabilitation.

All that said, I can't muster a sense of relief or happiness at this outcome.

At the very least, I shouldn't care, as it doesn't affect me. However, there's a small part of me that wonders why.

Why did our government spend time and resources to free a handful of drug smugglers from a foreign prison while we have so many pressing issues to deal with here?