A defamation lawsuit launched by one of Australia’s most decorated soldiers could be delayed until next year because of coronavirus and a decision by the Attorney-General to invoke special secrecy laws to protect sensitive military information.
Key points:
- Ben Roberts-Smith is suing three newspapers for defamation over a series of 2018 articles
- Attorney-General Christian Porter has used national security legislation to keep parts of the lawsuit secret
- The defamation trial will run for six weeks in 2020
Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith is suing three former Fairfax newspapers — The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times — over a series of 2018 articles that he claims defamed him.
Mr Roberts-Smith, a former Special Air Service Regiment (SAS) soldier, has said in his statement of claim that the articles are defamatory because they portray h