Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Again, what I would say, as minister and for the Prime Minister, is that we have put our views clearly to the United Kingdom and to the United States. But there was a non sequitur in your question, and that was 'what are you doing to ensure?' We cannot ensure.

You might like to yell about that. But, just as I cannot ensure and Senator Payne could not ensure that people who are dealing with the legal system of another country—

Well, it's a fact. I know you want to play politics with this. I want to say this to you. I think it has gone on too long. I don't support what he did, but I think this has gone on too long. I do not believe, and neither does the Australian government believe, that there is anything to be served by his ongoing incarceration, and that view informs our engagement with the two countries concerned. But we are not a party to the proceedings.