The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, says it was not a authorities determination to award Ben Roberts-Smith a coronation medal from King Charles.
The ex-SAS soldier was welcomed into Western Australia’s Authorities Home this week to obtain the particular honour – which is given to all Victoria Cross recipients.
Final yr, Roberts-Smith, a recipient of the Victoria Cross, failed in a defamation case in opposition to three newspapers that he alleged defamed him as a battle legal.
Justice Anthony Besanko discovered that the newspapers efficiently proved – to the civil customary of steadiness of possibilities – that Roberts-Smith was complicit within the homicide of 4 unarmed civilians whereas serving within the SAS in Afghanistan, in addition to bullying and threatening colleagues, and intimidating a girl with whom he was having an affair.
Roberts-Smith, who has constantly denied all wrongdoing, has appealed that call.
Showing on the 9 Community’s Weekend Immediately on Saturday, the prime minster stated the choice to award Roberts-Smith a coronation medal was made by King Charles, not by the Australian authorities.
“This was the choice of the Palace to provide all Victoria Cross recipients an additional award,” Albanese stated.
“There’s ongoing authorized motion on these points so given the federal government’s engagement, it’s vital that there not be interference in that.
“However it definitely wasn’t a authorities determination.”
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Roberts-Smith was photographed along with his dad and mom attending the occasion final Thursday. Each the governor of WA, Chris Dawson, and Buckingham Palace have been contacted for remark.
Roberts-Smith took the Sydney Morning Herald to courtroom final yr over numerous information tales it printed that contained the allegations of battle crimes.
After the 110-day trial, Justice Besanko discovered the newspaper had confirmed the allegations that Roberts-Smith was concerned within the 4 murders throughout his deployment.
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