Former governor-general won’t appear for Ben Roberts-Smith in defamation trial but ‘has not withdrawn support’
The barrister acting for Ben Roberts-Smith has told his defamation trial former governor-general Quentin Bryce won’t be giving evidence on behalf of the Victoria Cross recipient but “has not withdrawn her support”.
Bruce McClintock, SC, previously told the Federal Court that Dame Quentin would be called as a reputation witness in the former soldier’s case against Nine newspapers the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
The Australian reported in May that Mr Roberts-Smith appeared on her doorstep in Brisbane with a bunch of flowers to no avail.
“Dame Quentin Bryce, her excellency, has indicated and I am quoting from an email that she has never withdrawn her support for Mr Roberts Smith but she won’t be appearing for personal reasons,” Mr McClintock told the court today.
“She has not withdrawn her support for my client,” he added.
Nine Entertainment Company objected to the tender of the email because they were unable to test it.
Mr Roberts-Smith is suing over allegations in the newspaper reports that he murdered six people in Afghanistan, bullied SAS colleagues and punched his mistress in Canberra while Nine uses a defence of truth.
The former soldier’s barrister told the court today his client deserved a record amount in aggravated damages because his reputation had been smashed and destroyed.
“In 2018, at the time of publication, there could not have been a soldier better known or more highly respected than my client,” Mr McClintock said.
He told the court while Mr Roberts-Smith had once been “inundated” with invitations to Anzac Day services, this year he received none.
He argued his client had up until the end of last year lost $475,000 from his public speaking business and wasn’t able to proceed with a partnership at an accountancy firm which would have been more lucrative than his executive position at Seven West Media.
The rest of the day’s proceedings will be heard in closed court as Mr McClintock deals with matters the subject of national security concerns.
Mr Roberts-Smith is expected to begin giving evidence tomorrow.
