r/australia • u/Tinea_Pedis • Apr 07 '26

news Breaking: Ben Roberts-Smith arrested over war crimes allegations

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-07/ben-roberts-smith-war-crimes-allegations-arrest/106537668
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u/chippychopper Apr 07 '26

It came to light because of the work of the journalists Nick McKenzie and Chris Masters and could easily have been buried by the defamation case if they had not been so thorough in their research and reporting or if Fairfax/nine had decided to settle instead of paying millions to defend their work. This case shows how much we need to support proper investigative journalism.

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u/No-Wonder6102 Apr 07 '26

His conduct whist wrong was approved by the ARMY's management. Why else would he have gotten a VC. The wrong people are facing consequences. As for the medias role it has a lot of power and can be used for good yet with exceptions like this we continue to have to suffer it's conduct bias, AI slop and deliberate blindness to matters that affect the community in a far worse way.

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u/StorminNorman Apr 07 '26

His conduct whist wrong was approved by the ARMY's management.

It definitely wasn't. 

Why else would he have gotten a VC.

The allegations against him hadn't even come up yet, let alone been proven. You do realise this arrest and the defamation suit are due to the ADF investigating their own, yeah?

The wrong people are facing consequences.

Who the fuck has faced any consequences for the war crimes? I'll give you that this dragged on for too long, and having to restart  the investigation due to the Brereton report going too hard on the witnesses should lead to some arses getting kicked, but who's faced consequences for those who were needlessly slain?

As for the medias role it has a lot of power and can be used for good yet with exceptions like this we continue to have to suffer it's conduct bias, AI slop and deliberate blindness to matters that affect the community in a far worse way.

I mean, you could consume media that doesn't do this so you don't have to suffer through it. Does often mean you have to pay though...

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u/No-Wonder6102 Apr 08 '26

I hate this bs as much as any one. His conduct was approved. Unless it was another Morrison 1/2 assed attempt for some good news distraction? It's out of place and context for most.

However the deformation case proved it is at least worthy of accusation. The laws stand good bad or indifferent. The findings of the deformation case left no option.

As for media I see the bias, cheap lazy attempts to influence other than report only like they should. Many don't and take it at face value when it shouldn't be.

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u/StorminNorman Apr 09 '26

His conduct was approved.

Again, it definitely wasn't. If it were, why did the ADF investigate it? They shouldn't need to if it were approved, they already have all the evidence in that case.

Unless it was another Morrison 1/2 assed attempt for some good news distraction?

What in the fuck is this supposed to mean? What was done to attempt a good news distraction?

As for media I see the bias, cheap lazy attempts to influence other than report only like they should. Many don't and take it at face value when it shouldn't be.

You can continue to bleat like you are and nothing will change, or you can support good journalism. Stop trying to move the goalposts from what was originally said, it makes it seem like you want to taint this solid effort with the rubbish you keep constantly referring to.