Extract from ABC News
The prime minister and other federal MPs have voted in favour of a motion urging the United States and the United Kingdom to end the prosecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and allow his return to Australia.
The 52-year-old Assange is wanted in the US for espionage, and faces 18 charges related to the publication of a range of highly classified information relating to the US-led wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Next week, the High Court of Justice in the UK will hold its hearing into whether Mr Assange can appeal his extradition to the US.
Mr Assange has been held in London's high-security Belmarsh prison since 2019 and potentially faces up to 175 years in prison.
Independent MP Andrew Wilkie successfully moved the motion with 86 votes in favour and 42 against, with support from Labor, independent and Greens MPs.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and the Coalition voted against the motion, while Liberal MP Bridget Archer crossed the floor to vote in favour.
The prime minister has previously labelled the punishment of Assange as disproportionate and called for the matter to come to a "conclusion", but this latest vote indicates his strongest position yet.
In October, Mr Albanese said he discussed the case of Assange with US president Joe Biden – but did not demand Mr Biden intervene in the justice process.
"It has been too long and, in my view, as I've said before, I see nothing is served from the further incarceration of Mr Assange," Mr Albanese said in May last year.
On Tuesday, the Attorney-General's Department told Senate estimates that Australia's attorney-general, Mark Dreyfus, raised the case with his US counterpart last week.
Mr Dreyfus confirmed the matter was raised at a meeting in Washington, DC.
"This was a private discussion, however this government's position on Mr Assange is very clear, and has not changed. It is time this matter is brought to an end," Mr Dreyfus said.
Mr Wilkie — who will fly to London for the second hearing next week — told the parliament that "we have just about run out of time to save Julian Assange".
"There are people who loathe the man, there are people who worship the man … but just about everyone agrees that this has gone on too long, but it must be brought to an end," Mr Wilkie said.
"Regardless of what you think of Mr Assange, justice is not being done in this case.
"If Mr Assange is extradited to the US, it would be a direct attack on media freedom, as it would set a frightening precedent for all journalists that they, too, are at risk of being locked up just for doing their job."
After the vote was successful, Mr Wilkie said it marked an unprecedented show of political support for Assange by the parliament.
"The vote today is the biggest demonstration yet that Mr Assange's incarceration is unjust, and once again demonstrates the widespread support for him in the halls of Parliament House. The US must recognise the weight of Australia's political support and abandon the extradition proceedings."
Last month, Assange's lawyer warned he was mentally unwell and would be at risk of suicide if his final appeal was rejected.
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