Sunday Morning In The Cafe This Week's Guest John Shipton

John Shipton is an Australian architect and anti-war activist, best known as the biological father of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Born around 1944, he met Christine Hawkins at a Vietnam War rally in 1970. Their relationship ended before or shortly after Julian’s birth in 1971; Shipton had little contact with his son until 1996, when Assange was about 25. He later raised son Gabriel Shipton in Sydney and has a daughter. Shipton has described himself as having little early inclination toward family life. Professionally he works as an architect (largely self-taught after briefly studying the subject) and has long been involved in anti-war causes.

en.wikipedia.org

Shipton reconnected with Assange in the mid-1990s and became involved with WikiLeaks; Assange registered the site’s domain using his father’s name. He co-founded Australia’s short-lived WikiLeaks Party and later dedicated years to campaigning for his son’s freedom, traveling internationally, speaking at events, and appearing in the documentary Ithaka (produced by Gabriel). After Assange’s 2024 release following a plea deal, Shipton expressed lasting relief and a wish for ordinary family life. His activism has drawn both support and criticism, including for certain political associations.