Josh Wilson, who holds the Fremantle headquarters in Western Australia, said there were major issues of freedom of speech and freedom of the press at stake.
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“There is no longer any purpose or justice on the part of Julian Assange that is subject to these proceedings,” he said.
He was encouraged by a statement from Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Attorney General Mark Dreyfus, who said in part that the government was clear that the case “has been going on for too long and that it should be to close “.
Macquarie member in Sydney’s Hawkesbury region, Susan Templeman, who has also campaigned for Assange’s return, said the government had put that vision in the US and the UK “and will continue to do so in a way diplomatic and appropriate “.
“As a former journalist reporting to the Canberra Press Gallery and abroad in the 1980s, this is much less about an individual for me; It’s more about principles, journalistic freedoms and human rights, “he said.
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Adelaide MP Steve Georganas said the “quiet diplomacy” being carried out was the best approach.
The parliamentary group would continue to defend justice for Assange, Georganas said.
“He is an Australian citizen and we should do everything we can to ensure that he has all the legal assistance, among other things, and that silent diplomacy has to be carried out to ensure that he has the right justice. and let this horrible story come to an end, “he said.
Albanese was a supporter, but not a formal member, of the Bring Julian Assange Home group in the previous parliament.
Assange’s wife, Stella, is expected to see her husband in Belmarsh Prison on Tuesday, London time, for the first time since extradition was approved. She is concerned about her deteriorating health and said her family would continue to pressure the Australian government to continue its efforts.
“Really, the only end result is his freedom,” he told Radio National. “I definitely feel like there’s a change. Looks like we’ve been running a marathon for a long time … but now it looks like we have a lot of people running by our side and we could see the finish line.”
Cut to the chase of federal politics with Jacqueline Maley’s news, opinion, and expert analysis. Subscribers can subscribe to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter here.