WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has revealed his intention to run for a Senate seat in the 2013 Australian federal election. Assange, 41, said plans to set up a WikiLeaks political party were "significantly advanced" and had received support from a number of "worthy people" in his home country.
In an interview with Fairfax Media, he said his party would promote openness in government and politics and combat growing intrusions on individual privacy. He said he would be eligible to register as an overseas voter in either New South Wales or Victoria and would shortly take a "strategic decision" about which state he would contest.
Assange, who was born in Queensland, has been holed up inside Ecuador's embassy in London since June in a bid to avoid extradition to Sweden for questioning over rape and sexual assault allegations. He has stated he would happily go to Stockholm, providing the Swedish government guaranteed he would not be extradited on to the US.
The WikiLeaks party would require 500 members listed on the electoral roll for it to be registered with Australia's electoral commission. If Assange is elected but unable to return to Australia to take up his position, a nominee would occupy a Senate seat.
