Subjects: Australian War Memorial, Ben Roberts-Smith
E&OE
Nate PRIEBBENOW
So, Australian War Memorial next week. A lot is stopping for it. And perhaps Ben Roberts-Smith’ bail as well. How do you see that?
Micheal McCORMACK
Well, I’m proud of the fact that the Australian War Memorial is opening its new galleries, and I played a very large part in that – in enabling this wonderful shrine, this wonderful place of remembrance, to secure the funding needed for those new galleries. Those new galleries which commemorate the service and sacrifice of so many, particularly in recent wars, which didn’t have the necessary displays and didn’t have the adequate displays, that other conflicts that Australia has taken part in have had over so many years. Ben Roberts-Smith is a Victoria Cross recipient, and Ben Roberts-Smith has every right to attend the Australian War Memorial opening. In fact, I’m pleased that he is doing that, because in this country you are innocent until proven otherwise. So irrespective of whatever has taken place in recent weeks, as far as Ben Roberts-Smith and the charges being laid, he has every right. In fact I’m really pleased that he is going to the Australian War Memorial, as he should. His uniform was on display there, his Victoria Cross. He is a hero to this nation and for people to even think that he shouldn’t go. I asked them, what have you done for this nation? What have you done to support and help this nation? It’s all well and good to kick someone when they’re down. Some people take great delight in doing that, and they get on their keyboards late at night. Well, Ben Roberts-Smith is a hero. And certainly I appreciate that he’s got charges laid about things that happened many, many years ago. Well, that’ll play out in the courts. And I’ve got a view on that to. I’m not quite sure that civilian courts in Australia should be deciding what has taken place many, many years ago. For those people who were sent to a conflict zone, one of the deadliest in the world, where it was like no other, our enemies were not playing by the same rules that Australian soldiers play by, and then for us to want to prosecute them. Not only Ben Roberts-Smith, but they are spending millions upon millions upon millions of dollars in this latest Federal Budget to go on a witch hunt against our proud soldiers. I think is a disgrace. Absolutely.
Nate PRIEBBENOW
Thank you so much, Michael.
Michael McCORMACK
Okay. Very good. Thank you.