Hunt returned to training with the Reds at Ballymore on Monday after his suspension ended. Queensland fined him $30,000 and imposed a six-week ban after the 28-year-old was fined $2500 by a Southport court for cocaine possession.

The former Bronco won't be part of a 51-strong Wallaby briefing in Brisbane at the end of the month but has emailed Cheika, promising to put his head down with the Reds and work his way back into form after an extended exile.

And while Hunt has made his return for the Reds a priority, there's little doubt the utility back continues to harbour Wallaby intentions if he can produce the kind of form many expected before he was caught in a Gold Coast drugs sting.

It remains baby steps for the Reds recruit, who will be available for selection in a fortnight when the Queenslanders travel to Melbourne to take on the Rebels. He has been training in isolation and coach Richard Graham has likened his return to that of a player coming back from long-term injury.

If his name comes up in Wallaby discussions in coming months, Carmichael said he didn't believe Hunt's past would prove a hurdle.

"I don't pick the squad but the time that I've spent with Michael Cheika, he's a highly intelligent man. I believe that Michael is his own man and will make his decision based on what he thinks is important," Carmichael said.

"I think Karmichael will have every opportunity to put his best foot forward. I don't think he has any hindrances there aside from doing all the things a national coach would expect from him.

"I have no concerns around that. I don't think the game does either. Judgment will be made on performance."

Cheika has already shown he can make big calls outside of the politics of the game, quickly returning Kurtley Beale to the Wallabies in the fall-out of the Di Patston texting scandal.

That's the kind of call which suggests he would have little hesitation to include Hunt in his plans, even if there were some residual questions surrounding his crime and what message it may send.

The Queensland Rugby Union has been prepared to back Hunt and Carmichael said the board was confident it handled the matter with integrity, with several major corporate backers also expressing their support for the decision to allow Hunt to remain at Ballymore in the face of calls for his axing.

Carmichael said there was the potential for a backlash from some Reds fans but hoped any disgruntled members would respect the process that led to Hunt being thrown a lifeline, rather than sent packing.

"You are never going to get it perfectly right. But I am relieved that there has been a high level of respect for the decisions that we've made," Carmichael said.

Hunt has returned to training with no added restrictions to his standard Reds contract, with coach Richard Graham backing his head office in their handling of the issue.

"There's no doubt it's divided some opinion. In terms of me gauging a broad section of the community, I haven't done that," Graham said.

"Some people would be for it and some people would be against it. I think the Queensland Rugby Union has handled it exceptionally well."