Australian army whistleblower released on parole after more than two years in jail
David McBride was jailed after pleading guilty to leaking military secrets about Afghanistan.
An Australian army whistleblower, David McBride, has been granted parole after spending 27 months in jail for leaking classified military documents. McBride, who pleaded guilty in 2023 to sharing military secrets with the media, was sentenced in 2024 to five years and eight months.
His disclosures led to a significant inquiry that uncovered evidence of Australian forces unlawfully killing 39 Afghans during the war. On Thursday, Attorney-General Michelle Rowland's spokesperson confirmed McBride's "parole was considered and granted." The former military lawyer, who is undergoing treatment for lung cancer, will complete the remainder of his sentence under community supervision.
Following the decision, The Information Rights Project released a statement on McBride's behalf via national broadcaster ABC. McBride expressed gratitude to his family for their unwavering support and praised his "amazing supporters from around both Australia and the world" for their inspirational messages. He also disclosed his diagnosis with treatable lung cancer and upcoming surgery to remove part of his lung.
McBride's lawyer, Edwina Lloyd, described the parole decision as "the right one," according to the ABC. She stated that McBride's life has been "defined by service to Australia," both as a legal officer for the Australian Defence Forces (ADF) and through serving his sentence.
During his trial, prosecutors contended that McBride's actions were driven by "personal vindication" and that his method of gathering, storing, and leaking the documents jeopardized Australia's national security and foreign policy. Conversely, McBride's lawyers sought leniency, arguing he shared the information with "honourable" intentions and a sense of personal duty.
The judge, while acknowledging McBride's "good character," deemed the sharing of military secrets a "gross breach of trust" and noted his lack of "contrition." The material McBride leaked to the ABC formed the basis of "The Afghan Files" series in 2017, which offered unprecedented insights into Australia's elite special forces in Afghanistan, including allegations of war crimes.
In 2020, the Brereton Report found "credible evidence" that elite soldiers had unlawfully killed 39 individuals. A special watchdog, the Office of the Special Investigator, was established to investigate the actions of 19 ADF members. Of its 53 cases, 39 have been finalized, and two former Special Air Service (SAS) soldiers have been charged. Ben Roberts-Smith, Australia's most decorated living soldier, faces five counts of war crime murder after being charged earlier this year, while Oliver Schulz faces one count of the same charge.