#MattGolding #Cartoon @goldingcartoons #BenRobertsSmith: War Memorial installs plaques acknowledging ‘gravity’ of defamation case https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/war-memorial-installs-plaques-noting-gravity-of-ben-roberts-smith-libel-case-20230724-p5dqr2.html #alttext

#PeterMarkLewis #peterlewisart #cartoon: #BenRobertsSmith #sas #legal #victoriacross #auspol #alttext

Hi #Australia here, we found the one man responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands, and displacement of millions in Iraq, #Afghanistan, Syria et al.

https://www.rt.com/news/577299-australia-solider-war-crimes/

It was just 'one bad apple', after all!

(tags not used lightly:) #justOneBadApple #bloodingCult #warCrimes #warCriminal #benRobertsSmith #vIcOrIAcross #freeAssange #jailTheWarCriminals

#MattGolding #Cartoon @goldingcartoons The Australian War Memorial and its #BenRobertsSmith memorabilia @theage #alttext

'Truth' makes comeback in Roberts-Smith and Lehrmann trial twists
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/truth-makes-comeback-in-roberts-smith-and-lehrmann-trial-twists,17583

Dr Jennifer Wilson writes:
Australia is a country still reeling from the aftershocks of an L-NP government led by former Prime Minister Scott Morrison — without doubt, the most blatantly deceptive and mendacious leader in our history.

#AusPol #ScottyFromMarketing #ScottMorrison #BenRobertsSmith #BruceLehrmann

“I have difficulty accepting the applicant’s evidence on any disputed issue.”

Not something you ever want a judge to write about you.

#BenRobertsSmith

https://www.patreon.com/posts/shh-84088102?token=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJyZWRpc19rZXkiOiJpYTpmZjhmMjJiOS02Y2QwLTQ3N2YtYTZiYi1kMzBjZTBhYWJlZmMiLCJwb3N0X2lkIjo4NDA4ODEwMiwicGF0cm9uX2lkIjoxMjIyMjMzN30.w1AgknqQROB3_AibT4jBLTptOaPEITaFBf3aZqE0_t0#

#BenRobertsSmith #Warcrimes #ADF

Not good news for #BRS SASR groupies: from Besanko, J (p71, para 226): "As I will explain, I do not accept the applicant and Persons 5, 29, 35
and 38 as honest and reliable witnesses."

Not only is #BenRobertsSmith not an honest and reliable witness, but nor are the witnesses he called to support his case.

Witness 5 was the commander who is reported in the judgement to have made the order to "blood the rookie".

@MattGolding@ #Cartoon
@GoldingCartoons@ The case. Brought by #BenRobertsSmith. Financially backed by Stokes. @theage #alttext

Leahy Cartoons
@leahycartoons
·
11h
VC Winner loses defamation case #BenRobertsSmith #WarCrimes #auspol @CNN
@BBCWorld
@qldpol_updates
@AUcartoonists
@couriermail
@InsidersABC
@ABCthedrum
@GuardianAus
@crikey
@brisbanetimes
@TheNewDailyAu
#alttext

@agnessmack From @davpope #cartoon: #BenRobertsSmith #defamation case, gaoling, whistleblowers #alttext

#BenRobertsSMith was all set to be another conservative stooge in a senior administrative position before, when the time was right, being parachuted into a safe seat.

One inquiry & multiple breaches of the Geneva convention have probably destroyed that dream.

#Auspol #War

Here's a story covering the specific debate around #BenRobertsSmith and the #AustralianWarMemorial.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jun/02/ben-roberts-smith-calls-for-uniform-to-be-removed-from-australian-war-memorial-display

The Australian government is trying to stay clear of the issue, by saying that this was a civil, not a criminal case, and that criminal cases against ADF members who allegedly committed #WarCrimes a decade ago are beginning to make their way through the courts. #BenRobertsSmith's defenders (many of them powerful and influential figures) are emphasising the same distinction, effectively claiming that nothing at all needs to be done until a criminal case is brought and the truth established to a higher standard. BRS still has "a right to be considered innocent until proven guilty". And this civil case was not seeking to establish criminal guilt.

Let's consider that claim: that since BRS has not been proven guilty in a criminal case, but 'only' lost a civil case, it is not appropriate for, say, the #AustralianWarMemorial to remove the displays that celebrate BRS (such as his uniform and two large portraits of him), as some are now pushing for. That is, his defenders claim he ought to still be considered innocent of the crimes that a court of law just found to be true (at least true on the balance of probabilities).

There is much confusion about these matters. Here's how I understand it.

#BenRobertsSmith, the most decorated soldier in Australian military history, lost his landmark #defamation case against the newspapers who said he had committed multiple atrocious #WarCrimes in #Afghanistan. The journalists succeeded in their defence through establishing the substantial truth of their accusations. That is, a court of law found (after the most expensive litigation trial in Australian history) that on the balance of possibilities it is true that Roberts-Smith murdered civilians and prisoners of war, committed other grisly war crimes, and bullied fellow #ADF soldiers in service of covering up those deeds.

This finding has enormous implications across many fields, far more than most defamation cases. But I want to pick up on one aspect of the frenzy of discourse that has exploded in Australia around it since the result was handed down yesterday.

Does the #defence force do any due diligence before awarding honours to soldiers?

I'd have thought they would have investigated #BenRobertsSmith before giving him any awards.

#auspol #Army

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-02/ben-roberts-smith-fall-from-grace-explained/102425484

https://inqld.com.au/news/2023/06/01/war-hero-ben-roberts-smith-suffers-massive-defamation-loss/

Good. Close the borders. Just him. Murderous bastards not welcome. Strip every military decoration off him.
Order compensation to the relatives left .
#BenRobertsSmith #auspol