Gregory Andrews

Last updated

Gregory Andrews
Australian High Commissioner to Ghana and West Africa
In office
26 June 2020 –25 December 2021
OccupationBusinessman and environmental activist

Gregory Andrews was Australia's first Threatened Species Commissioner, and was the former Australian High Commissioner to Ghana and West Africa.

Contents

He gained national attention in 2006 due to his controversial appearance on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) program Lateline , where he assumed an anonymous pseudonym and made allegations about child sexual abuse in Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory. [2] [3]

Early life and education

Gregory Andrews was born in Sydney, New South Wales in 1968 and is a Dharawal man of shared Aboriginal and European ancestry. [4] [1]

He holds a Master of Arts (Foreign Affairs and Trade) from the Australian National University and a Bachelor of Economics, majoring in econometrics, with First Class Honours from the University of Newcastle. [5]

Career

Andrews joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as a graduate in 1992.[ citation needed ]

In 2014, Andrews was appointed Threatened Species Commissioner, a position created by the incoming Coalition Government. Environment minister Greg Hunt conceded the role lacked statutory powers and would have to liaise with other agencies. [6]

Andrews served as assistant secretary of the International Organisations Branch. He has previously served overseas as first secretary at the Australian Embassy, Beijing. From 2017 to 2019, Andrews was Australia's national focal point for the Responsibility to Protect and represented Australia in United Nations, bilateral and non-government negotiations on atrocity prevention. [7] [8]

In June 2020 Andrews was appointed as Australia's High Commissioner to Ghana to Ghana and West Africa. [5] [9] His appointment was reportedly marred with controversy based on his support for Ghana's LGBT community and bringing an end to 'witch camps'. [10] [11] On 20 December 2021, it is reported that the Australian Government ended Andrews appointment to Ghana, and he returned home. [12] [13]

Andrews served as Australia's deputy chief climate negotiator to the United Nations. [14]

Controversy

Andrews sparked controversy in 2006 when he appeared, along with five other witnesses including Community Elder Mantjatjara Wilson and Community Doctor Geoff Stewart, on ABC's Lateline under the pseudonym "Anonymous Youth Worker" and claimed that paedophiles were engaging in sex slavery within Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory. [2] [3] [15] [16] [17]

Andrews later gave evidence to the NT coroner in 2005. [18] His allegations were later found to be false by an Australian Crime Commission investigation, [19] contributing to the moral panic that justified the Howard government's Northern Territory Intervention. [2] [20] [21]

The Little Children Are Sacred report published by the Human Rights Commission of Australia found that although there was no evidence to support the claims of "paedophile rings", there was enough evidence to conclude a number of non-aboriginal individuals had been infiltrating aboriginal communities to abuse children, and that there was a "significant problem" in Northern Territory communities in relation to sexual abuse of children. [22] [15]

The NPY Women's Council defended the substance of the Lateline witnesses in an opinion piece in The Australian . [23]

In a statement to ABC News, Andrews claimed to have suffered harassment and abuse from his appearance on Lateline, urging those criticising the program to instead "channel their energy into the protection of women and children". [24]

Climate activism

On 2 November 2023, Andrews begun a hunger strike on the lawns of Australian Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, protesting the lack of government action on climate change. [9] Andrews was taken to hospital after a 16-day hunger strike. His petition received over 4,500 signatures. [25]

From August to September 2024, Andrews set out on a community awareness trip, intending to cycle 4,500 km (2,800 mi) across Australia from west to east on an ebike. In addition to promoting the importance and benefits of renewable energy, Andrews encouraged donations made online will be earmarked to specific projects which help to provide more renewable energy for people living regional and remote areas. [26] [27]

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References

  1. 1 2 Andrews, Gregory (11 February 2022). "Freedom of faith can't be an excuse for freedom to hate". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 Lawford, Elliana (21 June 2017). "Mutitjulu, the community that was ground zero for the NT Intervention, ten years on". The Point. Retrieved 16 September 2024. This anonymous man claimed men in Mutitjulu were trading petrol for sex with young girls, and that children were being held against their will and traded between communities as "sex slaves".
  3. 1 2 Ramsey, Alan (29 July 2006). "The Brough and tumble of a cover-up". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 16 September 2024. It even ran a voice clip of an "anonymous witness" saying: "It's true. I've been told by a number of people of men getting young girls and keeping them as sex slaves."
  4. ↑ Aidt, Mik (17 November 2023). "I'm doing this for my kids and country". Centre for Climate Safety.
  5. 1 2 "High Commissioner to Ghana - Media Release". Minister for Foreign Affairs. 26 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  6. ↑ Sturmer, Jake (2 July 2014). "Gregory Andrews appointed as Threatened Species Commissioner, environment groups say he needs more power". ABC News. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  7. ↑ "Summary of the Eighth Annual Meeting of the Global Network of R2P Focal Points Helsinki, Finland, 2018".
  8. ↑ https://r2pasiapacific.org/files/623/spotlight_jul2018_issue45_4th_chna-aus_dialogue_peacekeeping_accountability_for_prevention.pdf
  9. 1 2 Midena, Kate (15 November 2023). "Former senior Liberal government adviser Gregory Andrews is 14 days into a hunger strike for climate action". ABC News.
  10. ↑ Badewa, Collins (26 February 2021). "Ghana's LGBTQ Community is Under Siege – and Politicians Are Leading the Attacks". Vice. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  11. ↑ Issah, Murtala (9 October 2020). "Australia to support Ghana eliminate witch camps – High Commissioner". GBC Ghana Online. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  12. ↑ Watson, Graeme (14 December 2021). "Australia's man in Ghana reportedly recalled over support for LGBTI people". OUTinPerth. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  13. ↑ Ayamga, Emmanuel (13 May 2021). "'I'll beat him!' - Sam George warns Australian High Commissioner over LGBT pressure". pulse.com.gh.
  14. ↑ Foley, Mike (17 November 2023). "From diplomat to hunger striker: Gregory defied his fear of death to fight fossil fuels". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  15. 1 2 Brull, Michael (28 June 2017). "A Decade On, The Fraud Of The NT Intervention Is Exposed". New Matilda. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  16. ↑ "The lie that built the NT intervention | Green Left". www.greenleft.org.au. 3 September 2010. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  17. ↑ "Claims of child sex network in NT". The Sydney Morning Herald. 22 June 2006. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  18. ↑ Cavanagh, Greg (10 October 2005). "Inquest into the deaths of Kumanjay Presley, Kunmanara Coulthard and Kunmanara Brumby [2005] NTMC 086" (PDF). justice.nt.gov.au. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  19. ↑ Graham, Chris (28 June 2020). "ABC's Fake 'Anonymous Youth Worker' Promoted To High Commissioner To Ghana". New Matilda. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  20. ↑ Graham, Chris (10 June 2008). "ABC clears ABC over Mutitjulu reports. Quelle surprise". Crikey. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  21. ↑ McKenzie, Nick (5 July 2009). "Pedophile ring claims unfounded". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  22. ↑ "Report of the Northern Territory Board of Inquiry into the Protection of Aboriginal Children from Sexual Abuse" (PDF). Human Rights Commission of Australia. 2005. pp. 6, 61. ISBN   9780980387414 . Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  23. ↑ Finnane, Kieran (26 October 2006). "SHOOTING THE MESSENGERS ... FROM COWARDS' CASTLE". Alice Springs News. Retrieved 17 September 2024. He conveniently overlooks NPY Women's Council's defence of the substance of the Lateline allegations. In an opinion piece, published in The Australian on August 7 and since released to other media, the council, under the names Muyuru Burton, chairwoman, Margaret Smith, vice-chairwoman and Yanyi Bandicha, director, stated in part...
  24. ↑ Andrews, Gregory (1 August 2006). "Statement by Gregory Andrews". ABC News. Archived from the original on 31 July 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  25. ↑ Grassby, Laura (17 November 2023). "Climate activist Gregory Andrews taken away in an ambulance on day 16 of hunger strike on lawns of Parliament House". Sky News Australia. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  26. ↑ Schade, Krista (9 September 2024). "Riding an eBike around Australia to promote renewables in the bush". The Riverine Grazier. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  27. ↑ "eBike For Australia". Gregory Andrews. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
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