Five members of the Bali Nine have spoken out publicly after their spending their first night in Australia in 20 years.

Matthew Norman, Scott Rush, Martin Stephens, Si Yi Chen and Michael Czugaj returned to Australia on Sunday, after the federal government struck a deal with Indonesia to release the men, who had been serving life sentences on drug smuggling charges.

On Monday, a statement issued on behalf of the men said they were “relieved and happy” to be back and thanked Australian government officials who had worked to secure their release over many years.

“The men and their families will always be grateful,” the statement read.

“They look forward, in time, to reintegrating back into and contributing to society.

“The welfare of the men is a priority; they will need time and support, and we hope and trust our media and community will make allowance for this.”

Indonesia’s government said the five were transferred from Bali with the status of prisoner on Sunday morning. They landed in Darwin and were whisked away to accommodation at the former Howard Springs quarantine centre to be reunited with their families and begin to readjust to life in Australia.

Jakarta said it had not granted pardons.

“They will now have the opportunity to continue their personal rehabilitation and reintegration here in Australia,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Sunday.

The five remaining Bali Nine members have returned to Australia from Indonesia.

The repatriated Australians were among nine arrested in 2005 after attempting to smuggle heroin out of Bali, following a tip-off from the Australian Federal Police.

The group’s ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were executed in 2015, sparking a diplomatic incident with Australia. Renae Lawrence, the only woman among the nine, was released in 2018 and Tan Duc Than Nguyen died of cancer the same year.

Albanese said the final five’s return “on humanitarian grounds” reflected Australia’s strong bilateral relationship with Indonesia.

He said he had thanked Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto “for his act of compassion”.

“Australia respects Indonesia’s sovereignty and legal processes and we appreciate Indonesia’s compassionate consideration of this matter,” he said.

The five men will have government assistance to help them reintegrate into Australian society.

Liberal senator Hollie Hughes was scathing of the men’s release.

“I’m sure those Australians doing it really tough at the moment will be just thrilled to know that their taxpayer dollars are going to pay for this,” she told Sky News on Monday.

“I feel very badly for families who had children or loved ones lost to heroin addiction, which was what these drug smugglers were trying to bring back to our country.

“They would have wreaked death and destruction for a whole lot of families and I think that’s been overlooked here.”

Australia is grateful to Indonesia and President Prabowo for the return of the five men on humanitarian grounds. https://t.co/kiAU3XKiaj

— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) December 15, 2024

Education Minister Jason Clare said most Australians would agree it was time the men came home.

“These men committed a very serious crime – drug trafficking – and they have done serious time; 19 years in an Indonesian prison,” he told ABC news.

“They lost a big chunk of their lives for the crimes committed.”

Indonesia’s senior minister for legal affairs, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, said the transfer was “reciprocal in nature”.

“If one day our government requests the transfer of Indonesian prisoners in Australia, the Australian government is also obliged to consider it,” he said.

The five are banned for life from entering Indonesia, Yusril said.

Indonesia said it would respect any decision by Australia when the prisoners returned home, including whether to grant pardons.

-with AAP