It’s been 13 years since she’s stood on Australian soil, but now Renae Lawrence has arrived in Brisbane after being released from Bangli Prison in Indonesia.
Accompanied by her mother Beverley Waterman, stepbrother Allan Waterman and a cousin, Renae was snapped at an immigration room at Bali’s international airport in a quiet room before her flight to Australia. She is banned from ever returning to Indonesia.
Renae arrived at Brisbane Airport at around 5am local time on Thursday morning where she was greeted by a sea of reporters. She is expected to catch a flight to her hometown of Newcastle, NSW in the following hours.
Renae was snapped at Brisbane Airport by a sea of reporters. (Image: AAP)
Though she refused to answer questions, the ABC reports that Renae appeared to mutter something in Indonesian.
The 41 year-old made headlines in April 2005 when she was arrested at Bali Airport when she was caught with 2.7 kilograms of heroin strapped to her body. She and a number of other drug mules who tried to smuggle eight kilograms of heroin into Australia were dubbed the Bali Nine.
Renae is the only member of the Bali Nine to have been released and her sentence was reduced for ‘good behaviour’. She was originally sentenced to life in prison but her sentence was reduced to 20 years on appeal.
For the rest of the Bali Nine, they have been sentenced to life in prison. Ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were executed by firing squad in 2015 and Tan Duc Thahn Nguyen died of stomach cancer in May earlier this year.
32 year-old Matthew Norman, the youngest member of the Bali Nine, told the ABC that he one day hopes his sentence will be reduced.
“I don’t want to be negative or anything like that, it’s not healthy; I’m trying to become the best person I can and… just reflect on myself, and just do what I can for myself and all of the people around me.”
WATCH: Matthew Norman tells of life in Kerobokan prison. Post continues after video…
Despite being back on home soil, Renae still faces outstanding charges in Australia. She allegedly stole a car in Sydney in 2005 and was then involved in a high-speed chase in said stolen car with fellow Bali Nine member Matthew Norman.
Speaking with The Weekly in 2014, Lawrence detailed the fear, anger and boredom that has followed her time in jail.
“Sometimes you think about what life you did have and how fast it can be taken away from you because of your own stupidity,” she said.
“I think because I have a job in here I don’t have much time to feel sorry for myself. There’s no point feeling sorry for myself. I would only beat the sh*t out myself for being so stupid. I mean, I can understand why some people get depressed.”
