How Andrew Hastie became a witness in Ben Roberts-Smith trial

In the Ben Roberts-Smith defamation trial, the identities of most witnesses who once belonged to Australia’s most elite combat unit were kept secret. But there were a few Special Air Service (SAS) veterans who were identified publicly, including Roberts-Smith and Liberal MP Andrew Hastie. 

Hastie, the federal opposition’s defence spokesman, appeared before the trial last year where he distanced himself from Roberts-Smith, his former comrade. “I am no longer proud of Mr Roberts-Smith,” Hastie reportedly told the trial in March.

When he gave evidence, Hastie was the country’s assistant defence minister. Unlike most other SAS veterans who are prevented from speaking publicly about their service, Hastie was excluded from consideration as a “sensitive witness” in the proceedings, Justice Anthony Besanko wrote in a full judgment published on Monday.