Australia turned its back on Assange. Time made him a martyr

When Julian Assange stepped onto Australian soil for the first time in 14 years, he emotionally embraced his wife and raised his fist in triumph.

A handful of supporters waved and cheered as he drove away from the air base. But this was no hero's welcome - there were no large crowds or champagne in sight. Look closely though, and you will see signs of just how hard Australia's government has worked to get the WikiLeaks founder back.

Out of shot of the cameras, he was followed off the plane by former prime minister Kevin Rudd, who is now the country's ambassador to the US, and Australia's High Commissioner to the UK, Stephen Smith - who was Rudd's foreign minister between 2007 and 2010.

And minutes after Assange landed, the current Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addressed the nation, giving him a subdued welcome back. "I am very pleased that this saga is over, and earlier tonight, I was pleased to speak with Mr Assange to welcome him home," he said.