Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister Payne. Minister, the US government sought extradition of Australian citizen Julian Assange from the UK for espionage. Espionage is a political offence for which extradition is expressly barred from the US-UK extradition treaty. Minister, given the political nature of the extradition, have you personally made representations to the incoming Biden administration to drop the US appeal against the UK court decision to not extradite Mr Assange? If not, will you?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Rice for her question. Senator Rice, as I believe I have advised the chamber previously, I have raised the situation of Mr Assange with my previous United States counterpart, the former Secretary of State, Mr Pompeo. I have not yet met with the new Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, but I'm sure that in the course of such a meeting this matter would be raised.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Rice, a supplementary question?

Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Will you commit to picking up the phone to ask the US administration to drop the charges against Mr Assange? There were reports that the Trump administration in the latter days of the Trump term was close to pardoning Assange and may have done so if they had received representations from the Australian government. Will you pick up the phone to the incoming Biden administration?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I again have previously advised the chamber, Mr Assange is subject to a legal process in another country. Australia does not interfere in the legal processes of other countries and has long held that position across multiple governments, as we would not expect other governments to interfere in legal processes in our country. Mr Assange is currently the subject of a US appeal against the decision of the British courts that he is ineligible for extradition due to the court forming a view in relation to a risk of self-harm in the US prison. That appeal was lodged on 12 February. I don't intend to provide a running commentary on the details of the case, as it is before the courts. We continue to monitor Mr Assange's case closely, as we do for Australians in detention overseas.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Rice, a final supplementary question?

Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, when is enough enough? Julian Assange has suffered so much, and the judge in the UK case has basically said that extradition to the US is effectively a death sentence. The UN's special rapporteur on torture has said that the failure of the judgement to denounce and redress the persecution and torture of Mr Assange 'leaves fully intact the intended intimidating effect on journalists and whistleblowers'. So is it the Australian government's position that extraditing Julian Assange to the US is acceptable? (Time expired)

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Members of my office and of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade met with Mr Assange's legal team in this sitting period to discuss a range of matters, including the matter of Mr Assange. This government has sought, through our consular officials and through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the high commission in Britain, to support Mr Assange in an appropriate consular fashion in any way we could. We have done that by seeking his consent to discuss any prison condition issues with prison officials, to offer him consular assistance; we have done that on 21 separate occasions. On 21 separate occasions, no response has been received to that correspondence from Mr Assange or from his representatives.

Senator Whish-Wilson interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Whish-Wilson!

Senator Whish-Wilson interjecting—

Senator Whish-Wilson!

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government has endeavoured to provide him with that appropriate support.

Senator Whish-Wilson interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Whish-Wilson!

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We will continue to do that. He withdrew consent for us to consult in relation to any of his circumstances, his health or his welfare, in 2019. We have continued to raise with UK government officials our expectations— (Time expired)

Senator Whish-Wilson interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Payne. The time for the answer has expired. Senator Whish-Wilson, I called you to order and you kept interjecting while I was doing so. Please cease.