Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share 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—