THE Australian government has renewed its attacks on WikiLeaks, condemning the transparency group for ''reckless, irresponsible and potentially dangerous'' disclosures of secret information.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has also delayed release, under freedom of information, of sensitive Australian diplomatic cables relating to Julian Assange until after a legal challenge to the WikiLeaks founder's extradition to Sweden has been decided. The delay follows expressions of concern by United States authorities about disclosure of US-Australian discussions about WikiLeaks.

"Reckless, irresponsible and potentially dangerous" ... Australia has delayed sensitive diplomatic cables relating to Julian Assange until after a legal challenge to his extradition to Sweden has been decided. Credit:AFP

Although the federal government has in recent months refrained from its previous strident criticism of Mr Assange, a senior Attorney-General's Department executive, responsible for international crime and extradition matters, last week renewed the government's condemnation of WikiLeaks's release of leaked US diplomatic cables as ''reckless, irresponsible and potentially dangerous''.

Writing on behalf of the Attorney-General, Nicola Roxon, to a constituent of a federal Labor MP, international crime co-operation branch head Anna Harmer insisted that ''debate about the WikiLeaks matter is not about censoring free speech or preventing the media from reporting news'' and confirmed the government's focus on the ''reckless … unauthorised disclosure of classified material''.