Gregory Andrews
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gregory Andrews | |
|---|---|
| Australian High Commissioner to Ghana and West Africa | |
| In office 26 June 2020 – 25 December 2021 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Scott Morrison |
| Preceded by | Andrew Barnes |
| Succeeded by | Berenice Owen-Jones |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1968 (age 57–58)[1] Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Businessman and environmental activist |
Gregory Andrews is an Australian activist, businessman, and former diplomat. He was Australia's first Threatened Species Commissioner, and was the former Australian High Commissioner to Ghana and West Africa.
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]
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]