Interview with ABC News Radio, Breakfast

Subjects: The current imprisonment in London of Australian-born WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

Transcript, E&OE, proof only

8 December 2010

GLEN BARTHOLOMEW: He might be cooling his heels in a London cell, but the drip feed of WikiLeaks documents continues to emerge. And this morning, it's a bunch of diplomatic cables from the US Embassy in Canberra, cables which give a scathing assessment of Kevin Rudd's handling of foreign affairs. The cables have been released to Fairfax newspapers and they say the former PM was a control freak who was responsible for what the US considered were a number of serious foreign policy blunders.

Mr Rudd has been quick to say it is all water off a duck's back but at the same time he has defended the assistance provided to Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder who, of course, is still in jail in the UK.

The Foreign Minister has spoken this morning to Marius Benson.

REPORTER: Kevin Rudd, the claim from the supporters of Julian Assange is that he is not getting appropriate support from the Australian Government. Is that the case?

KEVIN RUDD: I spoke last night with Australia's High Commissioner in London, and again this morning, Australian time, to confirm whether we are providing Mr Assange with all appropriate consular assistance, consistent with that which we would provide to any other Australian citizen. Mr Assange contacted the Australian Consul General in London yesterday and asked for consular assistance. We indicated that we would provide that. That's important because our responsibility is to ensure the welfare of all Australian citizens abroad, as well as to ensure that they have proper legal representation.

Secondly, what we did then was have our consular officials attend his appearance in court yesterday.

And thirdly, we will provide Mr Assange very soon with a letter indicating that we will continue to provide consular support, including consular visits, to him, and to ensure his continuing welfare and to ensure also that he continues to have proper legal representation. We do this for all Australians abroad. Mr Assange in that respect is absolutely no exception and will be made no exception.

REPORTER: So he is being treated the same as any Australian citizen facing charges?

KEVIN RUDD: Absolutely, in terms of the support which we, the Australian Government, provide through our consular offices abroad.

REPORTER: But is it unique in the case of Mr Assange that while he's facing these charges, back in Australia, the Prime Minister and the Attorney-General are accusing him of illegalities? That's not going to help his case.

KEVIN RUDD: The key thing that we have to ensure, as the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs, the department of state for which I'm responsible, is that he is provided with every level of practical consular support that is possible and is normal and is consistent with the arrangements which pertain to all Australians abroad, and to confirm that he has proper legal representation. We will continue to maintain contact with Mr Assange, as I said. We will provide him with a letter soon indicating our preparedness to provide regular consular visits.

This is consistent with what we'd do with any other Australian and we will continue to do so into the future.

REPORTER: But the point I was making is that while Mr Assange is claiming his innocence, the Prime Minister is stating that he is involved in illegalities. That has to be a huge negative for anyone in court.

KEVIN RUDD: Well, the question of how the British courts conduct their business is a matter for the legal system in the United Kingdom. Our responsibility, as an Australian Government, is to make sure that his legal rights are fully protected and that he has proper legal representation.

REPORTER: Can you address that point though that the Prime Minister is in some ways undermining his legal standing when she says he is involved in illegalities when he's facing charges unproved and denied.

KEVIN RUDD: Well, the question of the range of specific charges against Mr Assange emanating from the Swedish courts, I am not in a position to comment or not on that, nor would I comment on that [indistinct].

REPORTER: But what impact will it have for an Australian citizen facing a court overseas when an Australian Prime Minister is saying he's involved in illegalities?

KEVIN RUDD: The nature of the charges emanating from the Swedish judicial system go to a different range of matters, and they are those which we are seeking to provide support for him on in the British legal system right now.

On the broader question of so-called WikiLeaks and the rest of it, these matters, as you know, are the subject of widespread commentary right around the world by heads of government, by foreign ministers.

The key thing we have to ensure is that when it comes to Mr Assange and the matters which he has been brought to court on in the last 24 hours in the United Kingdom, the presumptions of innocence apply and the normal systems of British justice apply and the normal systems of Swedish justice apply.

And our job as an Australian Government is to ensure that he has consular support from Australian officials and that he has proper legal representation. We'll continue to provide that.

REPORTER: Kevin Rudd, thanks very much.

KEVIN RUDD: Thanks a lot. Bye.

GLEN BARTHOLOMEW: The Australian Foreign Minister, Kevin Rudd, with Marius Benson.

END

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