A Liberal Senator has given a scathing review of the government’s handling of Julian Assange’s return to Australia, declaring Labor has its priorities “all wrong”.
Julian Assange has returned to Australia and into the arms of his family after reaching a plea deal with the United States.
Assange’s WikiLeaks organisation published classified US military documents on the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.
It is still the largest security breach in US military history.
The WikiLeaks founder touched down in Canberra last week after securing a plea deal which allowed him to go free, effectively bringing over a decade of legal woes to an end.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese released a media statement officially marking Mr Assange’s return and addressed the matter the following day at a press conference, saying the 52-year-old’s case had “dragged on for far too long”.
Ms Cash discussed the issue on Sunday Agenda. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman
“It is yet another example of why mature, calibrated and consistent engagement with our partners is the best way to get results in Australia’s national interest,” he said.
The remarks were made within a day or so after it was revealed inflation had jumped four per cent in the 12 months to May.
Speaking to Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell on Sunday, Ms Cash said the Prime Minister ought to be focusing more on the nation’s economy rather than Mr Assange.
“Can I tell you the irony of the day that the inflation figures come out, inflation goes above what market expectations were … it comes in with a four,” she said.
“You would have thought the press conference the prime minister called was to tell Australians what he was going to do to ease inflation.
“Instead, what does he do? He stands up, he does a press conference and lauds as one of his government’s great achievements bringing Julian Assange home.
“And he then makes a telephone call to him. Seriously?”
When asked specifically if she supported the negotiation of Mr Assange’s release, Ms Cash said the Coalition had always maintained it was a “matter for the US legal system”.
“For Mr Albanese to say this is one of the great achievements of the Albanese government, ‘we got it done’, I think speaks volumes about how this government’s priorities are all wrong,” she said.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has sought to deflect from the somewhat grim inflation news by spruiking the government’s tax cuts which are set to come into effect from July 1.
The economic figures prompted many economists to call for the Reserve Bank of Australia to once again lift rates.
Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell says inflation’s “ugly head again reared” for the federal government after it rose to four per cent.
“A four per cent annual inflation figure for the month of May has spooked many economists into believing the Reserve Bank will hike interest rates in August, and this could force Australia into a recession,” he said.
“It could prove a big electoral moment should the Bank hike rates again.”
Mr Chalmers told Mr Clennell on Sunday he was “confident” budget settings were right.
“When we changed those tax cuts at the start of the year, the Treasury made it clear that they didn’t expect it to put additional pressure on inflation beyond what was already factored into their forecasts,” he said.
“That’s because we used the same envelope as before, but made them fairer, made sure everyone got a tax cut, not just some people.”