Australia's richest person, Gina Rinehart, has expressed confusion over the prosecution of Ben Roberts-Smith for alleged war crimes, as high-profile support for the Victoria Cross recipient emerges. Roberts-Smith was arrested in Sydney on Tuesday and charged with five counts of murder related to incidents in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012. He has not yet entered a plea but is expected to defend the charges.
Rinehart issued a statement questioning the justification for spending over $300 million on criminal proceedings against SAS veterans. She highlighted the impact on defence force morale and recruitment, and called for compassion towards Roberts-Smith and his family. Her comments follow a post on X by Elon Musk, who called the case 'insane'.
Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott also voiced support, stating his 'instinctive sympathy' lies with special forces soldiers who fought under restrictive rules of engagement. He argued it is wrong to judge combat actions by civilian standards. Opposition figures, including shadow ministers Michael McCormack and Phillip Thompson, echoed similar sentiments, with McCormack labelling the prosecution a 'smear campaign'.
The arrest has sparked political division, with conservative and rightwing figures rallying behind Roberts-Smith. A petition seeking a pardon for him gained thousands of new signatures. International commentators, particularly in the US, have also weighed in on the case.
