The Wikileaks founder had spent 14 years dodging US authorities after leaking troves of secret state information.
But on Wednesday night, Assange returned to Australia for the first time in more than a decade after securing his freedom by pleading guilty to espionage.
Julian Assange's legal woes dragged on far too long, the government says. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said the outcome arose from years of democracy.
"This government engages in persistent, determined advocacy on behalf of Australians and we did so on this occasion," she told reporters in Canberra on Thursday.
"This Australian citizen was involved in a matter that had dragged on too long - our view as a government was that there was nothing to be served by him continuing to be incarcerated.
"I'm pleased this is the result of both that advocacy and those discussions between the Justice Department and Mr Assange's representatives."
Senator Wong met with his wife Stella Assange in the press gallery on Thursday morning and wished the family well.
Stella Assange's campaign to raise funds to pay for the flight has almost reached its target. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS)
This comes after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed he had spoken to Assange over the phone and welcomed him back to Australia.
Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said he was glad the legal saga was over, but condemned Mr Albanese's actions.
"It is completely unnecessary and totally inappropriate for Julian Assange to be greeted like some homecoming hero by the Australian prime minister," he told ABC Radio.
"He should not be feted and he should not be held up in the same type of stature or homecoming welcome as those Australians who have been truthfully, truly wrongfully detained."
He questioned whether Assange could be labelled a journalist and said his work was not "an act of heroism".
"It was simply an act of somebody who was happy to take any and all information given to him and publish it."
Assange's wife is appealing for donations after revealing he will owe the Australian government $US520,000 ($A783,000) for the charter flight.
The fundraiser has already reached almost 80 per cent of its target.
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