Australians are thrilled by Peter Greste's release from an Egyptian jail and his return to Australia, Prime Minister Tony Abbott says.
The Australian journalist spent 400 days behind bars in Cairo, jailed on spurious charge of collaborating with the Muslim Brotherhood.
His flight to Australia touched down in Brisbane early today.
"I think we're all thrilled that he is back home," Mr Abbott told reporters in Melbourne.
"We'd like to see his colleagues back in their homes as well, but we are really pleased to see Peter Greste back."
Mr Greste's Al Jazeera colleagues, journalists Baher Mohamed and Mohamed Fahmy, remain in prison.
Mr Abbott thanked Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop for her diplomatic work on the Greste case, also Egypt's President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi.
"He has been very sympathetic and understanding from the word go," Mr Abbott said.
"President Al-Sisi is a friend of decency, a man of humanity and compassion and someone who Australia can continue to work with."
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said Mr Greste's return was fantastic news.
"His arrival has been overshadowed by some of the goings-on in Canberra, but it is unreservedly good news," Mr Shorten told reporters in Melbourne.
"Labor, like the government, like the media community in Australia, like ordinary Australians, like the remarkably strong Greste family, never gave up on seeing Peter Greste come home.
"It shows when people work together, unite behind a cause, we can do fantastic things."
