Most people charged with notorious crimes are shunned by society. Not Ben Roberts-Smith.
In the past week the Victoria Cross awardee was embraced in public by two Australian institutions: Pauline Hanson and Legacy.
On Saturday evening Mr Roberts-Smith and his partner, Sarah Matulin, attended a black-tie dinner at Brisbane’s Royal International Convention Centre to raise money for Legacy, a 103-year-old charity for veterans’ families.
Apart from the Victoria Cross awardee, the event was notable for the presence of Queensland Governor Thomas Bradley KC, who gave a speech.
Legacy Brisbane’s acting CEO, Anthony Birch, told The Nightly all four living Victoria Cross recipients were invited.
“Mr Roberts-Smith is a long-time supporter of Legacy, having attended many youth camps in Busselton, WA during his service career with the Australian Army,” he said in an email.
As one of Australia’s great charities, Legacy’s decision to associate with Mr Roberts-Smith sends a signal, intentional or not, that the wider military community has chosen not to reject the second Australian charged with war crimes by civilian prosecutors.
The first, fellow SAS veteran Oliver Schulz, has taken a much lower profile. His trial is due to start in February or March, and will be, in a way, a prelude to Mr Roberts-Smith’s more complex case.
One Nation support
On Wednesday, Mr Roberts-Smith attended a Remembrance Day ceremony in Brisbane, where he lives. According to an account on websites published by Nine Entertainment Co, which first published the war crimes allegations, he was “mobbed” by supporters, including military personnel.
The fans included the One Nation leader, Senator Hanson, who posted a video of herself briefly embracing the veteran, who was wearing his Victoria Cross, Medal for Gallantry and other decorations.
“I stand with Ben Roberts-Smith,” Senator Hanson wrote afterwards on X.
Mr Roberts-Smith even gave a quote to a Nine journalist who was present. “I’m very grateful for the support of the majority of Australians,” he said.
(His approach is different to that taken by antagonist and fellow SAS veteran Andrew Hastie, who has ignored questions from The Nightly for over a year.)
One Nation sees a political benefit from associating with Mr Roberts-Smith. The party used the “mobbed” reference in an ad published Wednesday showing Senator Hanson with the war hero on Remembrance Day, which recognises the end of World War I.
“The vast majority of Aussies stand with Ben Roberts-Smith,” the ad said.
There has been no recent public polling to determine whether that is true. But a public relations campaign launched last month in conjunction with a merchandise line is likely to be generating empathy among Australians for the 198cm-tall ex-corporal.
Mr Roberts-Smith and Ms Matulin have both given extended interviews, which included the revelation he suggested they break up to protect her from the trauma of his case.
This week Mr Roberts-Smith responded to a Sydney radio host, Ben Fordham, after The Nightly reported that the Defence Department had searched social media for evidence of veterans supporting him by wrapping a green ribbon around their medals on Anzac Day
People charged with five counts of murder don’t usually go to black-tie balls or provide regular comments to the media.
By adopting this strategy, Mr Roberts-Smith is sending a message to the Australian Federal Police, the Office of the Special Investigator and the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Nicholas Broadbent SC, who intends to seek five life sentences.
That message is: I’m going to fight for my freedom.
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