Politics With Michelle Grattan

Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, is facing extradition to the United States after this was given the green light by the British Government. Assange faces charges of espionage over the publication of classified information about US actions in the Iraq War. Barrister Greg Barns has worked pro bono on Assagne’s case for the last nine years as part of the Australian Assange campaign. Barns argues the Assange issue “goes to fundamental questions like freedom of the press and freedom of speech.” The election of the Albanese government has reignited calls for Australia to do more to try to bring Assange home. “We’ve certainly been heartened by the approach taken by the new government,” Barns says. “I think Anthony Albanese himself has been committed for some time now in his public statements and certainly been supportive privately of Assange’s position. He’s made that clear in a number of statements with a theme really that this has gone long enough.” “There has been a marked change in rhetoric on the part