Australia’s richest person, Gina Rinehart, has questioned the value of the investigation into accused war criminal Ben Roberts-Smith following his arrest and charges.
In a statement, Rinehart said she did not understand how it could be justified to spend more than $300 million over several years to pursue criminal proceedings against SAS veterans who have served the country, including Roberts-Smith.
Roberts-Smith, one of Australia’s most decorated soldiers and a veteran of deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, was arrested at Sydney Domestic Airport and charged with five counts of murder related to alleged war crimes. The alleged incidents are said to have occurred between 2009 and 2012 in Afghanistan, and he has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Rinehart also expressed concern about the impact of such investigations on the morale and strength of Australia’s defence force, arguing that funding could have been better directed toward strengthening national security and protecting citizens.
She further stated that compassion should be extended to Roberts-Smith and his family, while emphasising his service to the country during wartime.
Other public figures, including One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, have also voiced support for Roberts-Smith and questioned aspects of the investigation.
