Peter Khalil (Wills, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A few weeks ago, a passionate constituent of mine in the electorate of Wills, Louisa Allan, presented me and the Parliamentary Friends of the Bring Julian Assange Home Group, which includes MPs and senators from all parties and crossbenchers, with a petition on Julian Assange's case. I have followed his case closely as a member of that group. I want to acknowledge the member for Clark, who is here, and the member for Dawson for all their hard work in this space. They actually visited the UK last year, in January, and on their return they briefed many MPs and senators on the vagaries of Julian's case but also on his mental and physical health. No matter your view of Julian Assange or his case, he is an Australian citizen. This means he has a right to Australian consular assistance and to avail himself fully of his legal rights, whether in the UK or elsewhere. Throughout Assange's extradition trial, federal Labor has urged the Australian government to request that the UK government ensure Assange receive appropriate medical care as well as that consular assistance that he is entitled to. With respect to the UK court's decision this year, federal Labor welcomed the decision not to extradite Assange to the United States, giving priority to his health and welfare. Labor's shadow Attorney-General has also called on the Morrison government to do all it can to draw a line under this matter and encourage the US government to bring this matter to a close.