February 5, 2011 - 13:57 AMT
Julian Assange calls on Australian Prime Minister to help him return home

The WikiLeaks founder has called on the Australian Prime Minister to put her foot down and offer him protection from the US government.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard said she would not step in to make his legal problems go away, but said like any Australian citizen, Assange is welcome to return home once they are resolved.

Mr. Assange, in London fighting an extradition order to Sweden where he awaits sexual assault charges, has appealed to Ms. Gillard to help him return to Australia.

"There's not anything we can, or indeed, should do about that," Ms Gillard told Austereo.

"They are charges and they've got to be worked through proper process."

Mr Assange would like to return to Australia immediately, but Ms Gillard said it was not the fault of the Australian Government that he couldn't, Herald Sun reported.