Through the lens: The week in politics from Assange to Payman

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WikiLeaks laminitis Julian Assange’s plea woody with US authorities and consequent merchandise from situation dominated headlines this week, portion Labor grappled with its archetypal subordinate crossing the level successful 19 years and the authorities infuriated the Coalition by naming a erstwhile authorities Liberal treasurer to caput the nation’s apical clime argumentation body.

Alex Ellinghausen and James Brickwood captured the week successful authorities astatine Parliament House.

Monday, June 24

Former NSW Liberal treasurer and cleanable vigor champion Matt Kean was announced arsenic seat of the Climate Change Authority successful a coup for the Albanese government.

Energy Minister Chris Bowen (left), Matt Kean and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese astatine the property league announcing Kean’s appointment.

Kean rejected atomic power successful nationalist remarks that infuriated the Coalition and heightened the national clash connected clime and energy.

Kean (left), Bowen and Albanese get astatine the property conference.

The authorities besides tabled a measure revealing incoming governor-general Sam Mostyn volition person an annual wage of $709,000, 43 per cent higher than that of her predecessor, David Hurley. Hurley, who hands the baton to Mostyn connected July 1, had his authoritative representation unveiled successful parliament the aforesaid day.

Governor-General David Hurley and creator Jude Rae during the portrait’s unveiling.

And the authorities walked backmost its world-leading plan to outlaw each e-cigarette income without a doctor’s medicine successful a woody with the Greens, meaning Australians volition beryllium capable to bargain plain-packaged nicotine vapes from pharmacies without a medicine from October.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during question clip connected Monday.

Tuesday, June 25

News broke that Assange had struck a plea woody with US prosecutors, bringing a abrupt extremity to his long-running ineligible saga and delighting his relatives and supporters. Assange was released from London’s high-security Belmarsh Prison aft 1901 days down bars and rapidly left the United Kingdom, bound for the US territory of Saipan via Bangkok.

Julian Assange boards a pitchy to alert to the Pacific for his US tribunal date.

Labor legislator Fatima Payman became the party’s first subordinate to transverse the floor since 2005 aft she voted with the Greens to recognise Palestinian statehood. Labor rules hindrance caucus members to the party’s corporate decisions and MPs who ballot against those hazard being thrown out.

Fatima Payman, pictured with autarkic David Pocock, said she was arrogant she stood by her convictions, though she was bitterly disappointed her Labor colleagues had not joined her.

But the national authorities moved rapidly to quell expectations the Western Australian legislator would beryllium expelled from the party.

Fatima Payman and colleagues perceive arsenic Anthony Albanese addresses a Labor caucus gathering connected Tuesday.

Wednesday, June 26

After pleading blameworthy to a conspiracy complaint successful a US tribunal successful Saipan, Julian Assange arrived successful Australia successful affectional scenes connected Wednesday night, arsenic Prime Minister Anthony Albanese vowed to ever basal up for citizens successful occupation overseas.

Julian Assange arrives astatine Canberra Airport connected Wednesday evening.

Julian Assange acknowledges supporters waiting for his accomplishment successful Canberra.

The WikiLeaks laminitis made a symbolic amusement of victory, his limb outstretched and his fist clenched, aft stepping onto Australian ungraded for the archetypal clip successful 14 years, arsenic helium hugged his wife, Stella Assange, and his father, John Shipton, connected the tarmac.

Julian Assange gave 2 thumbs up arsenic helium stepped disconnected the level to applause successful Canberra connected Wednesday night.

Stella Assange greets her hubby connected the tarmac.

Julian Assange and his father, John Shipton, reunite astatine the airport.

Julian Assange’s woman and lawyers arrived to a oversea of supporters arsenic they spoke astatine a Canberra edifice pursuing his instrumentality to Australia.

Stella Assange made an affectional plea for her hubby to beryllium fixed privateness portion helium reunited with their children, portion she besides signalled a run to unafraid a statesmanlike pardon for Assange successful the years ahead.

Stella Assange astatine a property league aft her husband’s accomplishment successful Canberra.

Meanwhile, the premier curate suspended first-term legislator Payman from adjacent week’s caucus gathering for crossing the level to recognise Palestinian statehood.

Fatima Payman successful question clip connected Wednesday.

And amid the drama, Albanese welcomed Solomon Islands’ Jeremiah Manele to Canberra connected his archetypal planetary sojourn arsenic premier minister.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele during the ceremonial invited astatine Parliament House connected Wednesday.

Jeremiah Manele and Anthony Albanese during a associated property league astatine Parliament House.

The Solomon Islands premier curate and Anthony Albanese successful Canberra.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and Jeremiah Manele speech gifts astatine Parliament House.

Thursday, June 27

US ambassador Kevin Rudd suggested helium played an important relation successful convincing Assange to judge the US plea woody arsenic a partisan stoush erupted implicit the WikiLeaks founder’s instrumentality to Australia.

Australia’s ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, successful the corridor aft a tv interrogation successful the property assemblage astatine Parliament House.

The absorption accused Albanese of giving Assange an overly lukewarm invited by calling him conscionable aft helium touched down successful Canberra connected Wednesday nighttime arsenic the WikiLeaks founders’ wife, Stella, and Australian lawyer Jennifer Robinson thanked parliamentarians and supporters who worked for years to unafraid his release.