What can we learn from this defamation case which involved this highly decorated soldier? Dr Vannessa Hearman, a senior history lecturer from University of Curtin and Dr Nasya Bafen, a senior lecturer in media and communication from La Trobe University in their interview with SBS Indonesian, discussed the court ruling and the lesson learnt.
Ben Roberts-Smith Defamation case: Lesson learnt
Journalists (L-R) Chris Masters, Nick McKenzie and Nine Newspapers managing director of publishing James Chessell, after the Ben Roberts-Smith trial at the Federal Court of Australia in Sydney (AAP). Source: AAP / JANE DEMPSTER/AAPIMAGE
On the 1st of June 2023, Justice Anthony Besanko from the Federal Court ruled that newspaper articles suggesting the Victoria-Cross recipient, Ben Roberts-Smith murdered unarmed Afghan civilians were substantially true, based on the evidentiary standard in civil cases of "on the balance of probabilities".
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