David McBride (whistleblower)

David William McBride (born 1963 or 1964) is an Australian whistleblower and former British Army major and Australian Army lawyer. From 2014 to 2016 McBride provided the Australian Broadcasting Corporation with information about war crimes committed by Australian soldiers in Afghanistan. The ABC broadcast details in 2017.[2] In 2018, he was charged with several offences related to his whistleblowing, and is awaiting trial. The war crime allegations were reviewed in the Brereton Report.

David McBride
Born1963 or 1964 (age 59–60)
NationalityAustralian
Alma mater
Height188 cm (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Political party
Spouse
Sarah Green
​
(until 2016)​
Parent
Military career
Allegiance
  • United Kingdom
  • Australia
Service/branch
Years of service1980s–1990s
2002/03–2017
UnitBlues and Royals[lower-alpha 1]
Battles/warsOperation Banner
War in Afghanistan[lower-alpha 2]
Websitedavidmcbride.com.au

Early life

McBride was born in 1963 or 1964 to William McBride, an obstetrician in Sydney.[3][1] He has three siblings.[1]

He graduated in law at the Sydney University and then obtained a scholarship to take a second degree in the same subject at Oxford University.[1]

Career

McBride joined the British Army and served in Germany before training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and then commanding a Blues and Royals platoon in Northern Ireland.[1] He left the army after failing to complete the entry requirements for the Special Air Service.[1]

After a period in civilian life, including security work in Rwanda and Zaire, a stint as a "tracker" on the 1990s British reality-style television game show, Wanted,[1] as security adviser to the series Journeys to the Ends of the Earth, and an unsuccessful 2003 attempt to win a New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat representing Coogee, for the Liberal Party,[4][5] he enlisted in the Australian Army as a lawyer.[1]

McBride twice deployed to Afghanistan, in 2011 and 2013,[2][1] for which he received a combat services medal.[6] He was medically discharged with post-traumatic stress disorder in 2017.[1]

Leak of alleged war crimes

McBride made internal allegations of war crimes committed by Australian forces in Afghanistan, then subsequently supplied classified information about these allegations to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.[7][8] An investigation by Major General Justice Paul Brereton, which began in May 2016 and whose results were made public in November 2020, found "credible information" that war crimes were committed by Australians.[9][10]

In September 2018, McBride was charged with the theft of Commonwealth property contrary to s 131(1) of the Criminal Code Act 1995; in March 2019 he was charged with a further four offences: three of breaching s 73A(1) of the Defence Act 1903; and another of "unlawfully disclosing a Commonwealth document contrary to s 70(1) of the Crimes Act 1914".[11][12][13][14][15] McBride pleaded not guilty to each of the charges at a 30 May 2019 preliminary hearing and is awaiting trial.[11][16] His legal team includes Nick Xenophon and Mark Davis.[2][17]

In October 2022, it was reported that the case against McBride would proceed to trial. McBride and his lawyers had tried to get the prosecution dropped by applying for protection under Australia's whistleblower laws. This application relied on expert testimony of 2 witnesses. However, the Government moved to quash this testimony (prevent it from being heard) on national security grounds. As such, McBride and his team dropped the application, and the trial would go ahead.[18]

Personal life

McBride has two daughters from a former marriage, to Sarah (née Green). The couple separated in 2016.[1]

Notes
  1. With the British Army
  2. With the Australian Army

References
  1. Wroe, David (22 June 2019). "'What I've done makes sense to me': The complicated, colourful life of David McBride". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  2. Xenophon, Nick (17 November 2020). "If moral courage matters, this whistleblower needs defending". The Age. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  3. Knaus, Christopher (7 March 2019). "Whistleblower charged with exposing alleged military misconduct 'not afraid to go to jail'". The Guardian. David McBride, 55, is facing five charges...
  4. Green, Antony. "2003 Coogee". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  5. "Former soldier sets his sights on Labor seat". The Sydney Morning Herald. 21 July 2002. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  6. Johnson, Paul (22 June 2020). "'It is an abomination': Nick Xenophon condemns national security laws and treatment of whistleblowers". ABC. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  7. Murphy, Katharine (19 November 2020). "We knew the war crimes inquiry would be bad – but this is gut-wrenching and nauseating". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  8. Visontay, Elias; Knaus, Christopher (6 November 2020). "Inquiry into alleged war crimes by Australian special forces in Afghanistan delivers final report". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  9. Packham, Colin (19 November 2020). "Australian special forces allegedly killed 39 unarmed Afghans - report". Reuters. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  10. Knaus, Christopher (19 November 2020). "Australian special forces involved in murder of 39 Afghan civilians, war crimes report alleges". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  11. "ABC Alumni Limited Submission to Senate Standing committee On Environment and Communications' References Committee: Inquiry into the adequacy of Commonwealth laws and frameworks covering the disclosure and reporting of sensitive and classified information". 29 August 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  12. "Afghan Files whistleblower David McBride's trial delayed to protect state secrets". The Guardian. 13 June 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  13. Burgess, Katie (9 November 2020). "Afghanistan inquiry: Calls to drop prosecution of whistleblower David McBride". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  14. Burgess, Katie (19 November 2020). "The Afghanistan inquiry: what we know so far". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  15. Knaus, Christopher (7 March 2019). "Whistleblower charged with exposing alleged military misconduct 'not afraid to go to jail'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  16. Maiden, Samantha (5 June 2019). "Whistleblower behind ABC raid stands by Afghan leaks". The New Daily. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  17. Burgess, Katie (19 November 2020). "Afghanistan inquiry: Calls to drop prosecution of whistleblower David McBride". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  18. "David McBride will face prosecution after blowing whistle on alleged war crimes in Afghanistan". The Guardian. 27 October 2022.

Further reading
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