Anthony Albanese‘s phone call to Julian Assange shortly after his plane touched down in Australia has been slammed as ‘inappropriate’.
The Wikileaks founder, 52, landed in Canberra at 7.37pm on Wednesday, just hours after walking free from a US Federal Court on the Pacific island of Saipan.
The father-of-two reached a plea deal with the US government where he admitted to one charge of conspiracy at court – ending an almost 15-year legal battle with the US government that saw him hide in Ecuador’s embassy in the UK and, later, locked up in the UK’s Belmarsh prison.
Assange received a warm welcome from Australia’s Prime Minister upon arriving Down Under – personally thanking him for ‘saving his life’ during a pre-arranged phone call.
Mr Albanese later told a press conference that Assange had expressed his gratitude to what he described as Australia’s ‘diplomatic A-team’ during the call.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese posted a picture of himself calling Julian Assange upon landing at a military airport in Canberra
Assange, 52, landed in Canberra just before 8pm on Wednesday night just hours after walking free from a US Federal Court on the Pacific Island of Saipan
As he saw his wife Stella for the first time, the 52-year-old hugged and kissed her (pictured)
‘When I spoke with Mr Assange tonight, he described it as a surreal and happy moment. I am very pleased that this matter is over,’ Mr Albanese said.
‘His safe return to Australia, we know means so much to his family.’
But Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham slammed Mr Albanese’s phone call with Assange as ‘neither necessary nor appropriate’ in a furious post to X.
‘Julian Assange was not wrongfully detained like Cheng Lei, Sean Turnell or Kylie Moore-Gilbert,’ he wrote just after 9pm.
‘For 12 years Assange chose to avoid facing justice in countries with fair judicial systems. He is undeserving of this treatment.’
Mr Birmingham said the PM should ‘rule out’ making plans to meet with Assange.
‘The ending of the Julian Assange legal saga via his guilty plea is welcome,’ he said. ‘However, he’s no martyr and was never a political prisoner denied access to justice.’
Former NATO official Edward Christie tweeted: ‘People who’ve chosen to work against our governments… do not deserve prime ministerial flowers when they come out of prison’.
Assange’s long-time lawyer Jennifer Robinson hit back at Mr Birmingham on Thursday, saying he needed ‘to get ‘his priorities straight’.
Mr Birmingham said Mr Albanese should ‘rule out’ making plans to meet with Assange
Assange’s lawyer Jennifer Robinson (pictured) hit back at Mr Birmingham, saying he needed ‘to get ‘his priorities straight’ after he criticised the phone call
‘It is entirely appropriate for the Australian prime minister to call an Australian citizen who has been through what Julian has been [through],’ Ms Robinson told the ABC.
She confirmed that Assange had told Mr Albanese that he had saved his life.
‘I don’t think that’s an exaggeration,’ Ms Robinson said.
‘This is a huge win for Australia and for Australian democracy. This is a huge win for free speech.
‘This is a huge win for Australia that our prime minister stood up to our ally, the United States, and demanded the return of an Australian citizen, and that Julian came home today.’
Stella Assange also backed Mr Albanese making the call to her husband.
‘I think Julian’s return to Australia is a historic moment, it belongs to all Australians,’ she said.
‘It belongs to Australia as a whole and I think it’s a moment for everyone to celebrate that this Walkley awarded journalist has finally been able to return to his home country.’
Assange (pictured) said he was looking forward to swimming in the ocean every day and teaching their young sons to catch crabs as a free man
In a post to social media, Mr Albanese said he had advocated for Assange’s lengthy legal battle to end ‘at every opportunity and every level’.
‘Earlier tonight I was pleased to speak with Julian Assange to welcome him home to his family in Australia,’ he wrote on X.
‘As Prime Minister, I have been clear – regardless of what you think of his activities, Mr Assange’s case had dragged on for too long.
‘I have clearly and consistently – at every opportunity and at every level – advocated for Mr Assange’s case to be concluded.
‘This is the culmination of careful, patient and determined work.’
Assange said he was looking forward to swimming in the ocean every day and teaching their young sons to catch crabs as a free man.