Andrew Wilkie

‘Whistleblower’ Andrew Wilkie resigned from the Office of National Assessments (ONA) over the Iraq war on 11 March 2003. He was the only serving intelligence official in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States to resign publicly before the invasion.

Andrew believed that Iraq did not pose a serious enough threat to justify a war at that time, that too many things could go wrong, and that it was bad policy to resort to war so long as there were other options. He stands by that assessment to this day.

Andrew stood against Prime Minister John Howard in his Sydney seat of Bennelong at the 2004 federal election. The Prime Minister was forced to preferences at the poll and his seat was categorised as marginal by the Australian Electoral Commission.

At the 2010 Tasmanian State election Andrew came within 315 votes of being elected as an Independent when he finished as the fifth highest vote-getter in the Denison electorate and in the top 25 in the state (five Members are elected in each of Tasmania’s five electorates).

Andrew again ran as an Independent in Denison at the 2010 Federal election where he caused a major upset by taking the previously safe seat from the ALP in one of the biggest swings seen at the election.

Andrew Wilkie has undertaken hundreds of speaking and media engagements in Australia, the UK, the US and New Zealand on dealing with change, security and the war on terrorism, the world of intelligence, ehtics and whistle blowing – taking a stand against powerful people and surviving, the personal journey.

At ONA, Andrew worked as a senior strategic issues analyst and then as the senior transnational issues analyst. In those roles he prepared and contributed to over 100 intelligence assessments for the federal government. Prior to ONA Andrew served in the Australian Defence Force, attaining the rank of lieutenant colonel. He also worked in management roles with the American defence contractor Raytheon.

His qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts, Graduate Diploma of Management and Graduate Diploma of Defence Studies. His awards include the Australian Intelligence Community Medallion (twice), Australia Day Achievement Medallion, UN Association of Australia Whistleblower Award, Australian Plaintiff Lawyers Association Civil Justice Award and Free Speech Victoria Voltaire Award.

Andrew has written a best-selling book about his experiences, Axis of Deceit.