The plight of WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange appears less than top-of-mind for most Australians, with just under half of those polled by this week’s Essential poll saying they don’t know whether or not the Australian government has been providing appropriate support.
Those who do not vote for the three major parties were the most likely to say the government has not provided appropriate support to Assange — 36% of such voters said insufficient support had been provided. Labor voters were the next most likely to indicate that the government should have more proactively been on Assange’s case, followed by Greens voters on 30%. Only one in five Liberal voters (19%) disapproved of the government’s approach towards Assange, with 36% saying the support provided had been “appropriate”.
Question asked: Do you think the Australian government has provided appropriate support to Assange given he faces investigation for sexual assault in Sweden and possible extradition to the US?
The figures are somewhat contradictory on how attitudes have changed since the question was last asked in July 2012. A higher number of respondents now say the support provided to Assange has not been sufficient. But a greater proportion of voters also choose to answer “Don’t Know”, indicating apathy or a lack of information about the issue.
Frankly, how would Australians have a clue what assistance has been offered to Assange?
‘Don’t know’ is likely the honest response although an educated guess would be that he wasn’t given adequate support. Julia Gillard & her Attorney-General, McClelland, roundly condemned Assange for publishing Wikileaks information describing his actions as ‘illegal’ when that case had not been proven. Who could’ve guessed these two once had legal training? Gillard & MClelland also affirmed they would assist the USA’s investigation of him. Not the sort of ‘support’ any Australian citizen would want.
Yes indeed. I wrote to Gillard about her stance and received a written response from McClelland. Don Watson would recognise it as weasel words.
Sorry to hear you wasted the stamp.
Sent it by email. No stamp needed.
I find it amazing that there is any support for him given the massive opprobrium, lies & threats to which he has been subjected by ‘our’ government, following as always the lead of the Hegemon – VP Biden called for him to be assassinated.
I read an inflammatory article entitled “Assange No Hero Of The Left” in of all places the UK Independent referring to the “rape” allegations made against Assange.
To those of you late to the party, Assange was never accused of rape.
The article had several other similar articles linked to it in the more to read section, along with other articles about the wikileaks release of emails interfering with the US election.
It’s little wonder Australians don’t know what to think when misinformation and conflation are rife.