Prosecute leakers, not Assange: Howard

8 Dec 2010, 7:31 pm   -   Source: AAP
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WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was arrested by English police overnight in relation to a Swedish allegation of rape. (Reuters)

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was arrested by English police overnight in relation to a Swedish allegation of rape. (Reuters)

Former Prime Minister John Howard says he sees no problem with media organisations publishing leaked information if it contains nothing more than "frank commentary" about political leaders.

Former Prime Minister John Howard says he sees no problem with media organisations publishing leaked information if it contains nothing more than "frank commentary" about political leaders.

A critique of former prime minister Kevin Rudd came to light on Wednesday as details of cables sent by the US embassy in Canberra to US secretaries of state Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Clinton were published in Fairfax newspapers.

The Sydney Morning Herald, which says it sourced the cables from WikiLeaks, said Mr Rudd, who is now Australia's Foreign Affairs Minister, was described as a control freak with abrasive and impulsive tendencies.

"To publish some cables containing commentary about political figures, while it's very uncomfortable for the diplomat involved ... and uncomfortable to the subject, you can't expect a journalist to hold back on something like that," Mr Howard told ABC Radio in Darwin on Wednesday.

"I'm sure things had been said about me.

"It's embarrassing when it happens but ... you can't condemn the media for running this stuff."

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was arrested by English police overnight in relation to a Swedish allegation of rape. Mr Assange, a 39-year-old Australian, has vehemently denied the Swedish charges.

Mr Howard said charges against Mr Assange were unrelated to the Wikileaks website, which continues to publish items from the promised 251,287 classified United States diplomatic cables it has in its possession.

"And I would expect the Australian government would ask for him to be dealt with like any other foreigner in that situation and that he be given the assistance he's entitled to," Mr Howard said.

He said claims that Mr Assange been abandoned by the Australian government were not entirely accurate.

"Any Australian citizen who leaves this country can't expect to carry any special protection under Australian law in another country. "We are all subject to the laws of the country in which we operate."

By Wednesday morning (AEDT) WikiLeaks had published more than 1000 cables. Mr Howard said Mr Assange had not done anything wrong by publishing cables that contained "frank commentary".

"Any journalist will publish confidential information if he or she gets hold of it, subject only to compelling national security interests.

"The issue is whether any of this material and the publication of it will endanger people lives or endangers individual countries.

"The bad people in this little exercise are the people who gave the information to him, because they're the people who breached the trust," he said. "They deserve to be chased and prosecuted."

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Your Comments

what?!

oncewas - from bribie island, 2 years ago

Erin, did you get your location right? in view of Howards comments I thought it should have been ' incredibility street'. I am astonished too, but he probably has a secret agenda so I do not believe him.

Good noises from Mr Howard

Mark - from Perth, 2 years ago

I wonder will they continue if we get cables that make his govt look bad. Despite both cases being overseas, there is a difference between the way the govt behaved with Stern Hu and how they have with Assange. Was the govt's reaction when the Chinese arrested Stern Hu: we're going to see if there's anything we can charge him with, and we're considering revoking his passport? No. We want _our_ government to work as hard to support Assange as they would a mining executive, or anyone else.

Okaaaay.

Christopher - from Ballarat, 2 years ago

He thinks Wikileaks is fine. But it could be better if Janet Albrechtsen was on the board.

Bad People?

Paul - from Melbourne, 2 years ago

Hmmm.. and here I was thinking the 'bad people' were the ones committing human rights abuses and war crimes.. as well as lying to their 'allies' and their own citizens... exposing wrong is not illegal, doing wrong _is_ Mr Howard.

Well done.

Claude - from Townsville, 2 years ago

John howard, now in private life as in public, is a man who stands up for what is right. understanding that what is popular is not always right, and what is right is not always popular. Just a continuation of a man who stands strong in his convictions. we could only hope for this courage from our current government

Not surprised

Candy - from Brighton, 2 years ago

How could you be surprised? The leaks shine badly for Rudd- not Howard

Me too!

Dave - from Adelaide, 2 years ago

And probably half of Australia as well - maybe he's getting a wee bit feeble. Or maybe he's finally managed to admit to himself how wrong so many of his policies were and is working on his 'legacy'?

Spot on.

Josh - from Atwell, WA, 2 years ago

I'm more shocked that it's not the position of the current government; he's totally spot on.

what?!

Erin - from 15 Credibility Street, 2 years ago

That is the LAST THING I expected Mr Howard to have to say on this subject. I am ASTONISHED.

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