‘It’s incredible’: Julian Assange supporters thrilled by Dutton remarks

Supporters of Julian Assange feel buoyed by the emergence of bipartisan support for the case against the WikiLeaks founder to be brought to a close after a significant change in rhetoric from Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday expressed frustration with his government’s inability to convince the Biden administration to drop its extradition request for Assange, saying he had left United States officials with no doubt about his position on the matter.

Dutton – who had previously been highly critical of Assange – said on Friday that Assange’s case had gone on for too long and should be brought to a conclusion.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is in a London prison facing extradition to the US to face espionage charges.Credit: AP

The United States Justice Department has charged Assange with 17 counts of breaching the Espionage Act, plus a separate hacking-related charge.

The US is seeking to extradite Assange from London, where he has been held in a high-security prison since 2019.

In his strongest comments yet on the Assange case, Albanese said: “I know it’s frustrating, I share the frustration.”

“I can’t do more than make very clear what my position is,” Albanese told the ABC during a visit to London for King Charles III’s coronation.

“And the US administration is certainly very aware of what the Australian government’s position is.”

Albanese said: “I continue to say in private what I said publicly as Labor leader and what I’ve said as Prime Minister: that enough is enough.”

“This needs to be brought to a conclusion. It needs to be worked through, we’re working through diplomatic channels, we’re making very clear what our position is on Mr Assange’s case.”

Dutton backed Albanese’s position on Friday, saying Assange’s case had gone on for too long.

“The matters, I think, have to be dealt with and if the Prime Minister’s charting a course through to an outcome on that, that’s a good thing,” he told ABC radio.

He indicated the opposition would work behind-the-scenes with the government to help secure Assange’s release.

Dutton was previously far more critical of Assange, saying last July that the government should provide regular consular assistance to him but not otherwise seek to intervene in his case.

Former foreign minister Bob Carr, a strong supporter of Assange, said the Assange issue was a “test case” for US Ambassador Caroline Kennedy ahead of President Biden’s visit to Australia in less than two weeks for the Quad leaders’ meeting.

“It’s one thing to tour Australia visiting Aboriginal art festivals, but the ambassador’s highest priority should be to pitch strongly Australian views to the Whitehouse and the State department,” he said.

“There is no doubt that the majority Australian opinion is that Julian Assange has paid a high enough price. She should be on the phone saying this issue is red hot, it’s got Peter Dutton - the leader of conservative opinion - joining with the Labor prime minister.”

The United States Embassy in Australia has been contacted for comment.

Greg Barns, a legal adviser to the Assange campaign, said: “Dutton’s comments are significant because they show for the first time a clear bipartisan support for ending the legal proceedings against Assange.”

Assange’s brother Gabriel Shipton welcomed Dutton’s comments, saying: “There is a consensus now on both sides of politics that Julian should be freed and that his case has gone on for too long. It’s incredible.”

“I really hope that when Biden comes to Australia, he hears loud and clear that the Australian public wants Julian brought back home.

“As Julian’s family, we’ll be very grateful if the prime minister raises this with President Biden himself.”

Shipton said there had been a “slow escalation” in the government’s efforts to secure Assange’s release over recent months, including a visit last month by Australia’s new UK High Commissioner Stephen Smith to Assange in prison.

John Shipton, Julian Assange’s father, and Gabriel Shipton (left) outside the British consulate in New York on Friday after Britain ordered the Australian publisher’s extradition to the US.Credit: AP Photo/Robert Bumsted

Albanese said he had issues with what Assange had published and understood American concerns about the leaking of classified material, but said the punishment of Assange had been excessive.

“I think that when Australians look at the circumstances, look at the fact that the person who released the information [Chelsea Manning] is walking freely now, having served some time in incarceration but is now released for a long period of time, then they’ll see that there is a disconnect there,” he said.

“I am concerned about Mr Assange’s mental health. There was a court decision here in the United Kingdom that was then overturned on appeal that went to Mr Assange’s health as well, and I am concerned for him.”

Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis from Jacqueline Maley. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter here.