Sarah Matulin, the partner of former SAS soldier Ben Roberts-Smith, has publicly apologised after she labelled Liberal MP Andrew Hastie a 'traitor' in a social media comment, a remark she now admits was a mistake. Hastie, a former SAS comrade, is a potential Crown witness in Roberts-Smith's upcoming criminal trial for war crimes.
The Controversial Comment
On Anzac Day, Mr Hastie posted a tribute on Instagram featuring his young children laying a wreath, with a caption about 'remembering the fallen, honouring our veterans and ADF'. Ms Matulin replied: 'Yeah you're a traitor.' The comment was quickly deleted.
Later, through Roberts-Smith's lawyer Karen Espiner, Ms Matulin issued a statement: 'It was a mistake to make that comment in a public forum and wasn't done with Ben's knowledge.'
Background of the Case
Mr Hastie was one of 21 SAS veterans subpoenaed as witnesses in the failed defamation case Roberts-Smith brought against Nine Newspapers in 2018. In that case, Hastie told the Federal Court he had heard multiple accounts of the allegation that Roberts-Smith kicked an Afghan detainee over a cliff during a mission in Darwan in 2012.
This allegation is among five war crime charges Roberts-Smith now faces. He is accused of committing 'war crime - murder' while serving in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012, including shooting dead an unarmed detainee, participating in the unlawful killing of another, and ordering subordinates to execute three more. Roberts-Smith has consistently denied all allegations.
Hastie's Response
It remains unclear whether Hastie will be called to give evidence at the NSW Supreme Court criminal trial. Two days after Roberts-Smith's arrest, Hastie issued a statement: 'In 2022, I was one of 21 SAS veterans subpoenaed as a witness in the defamation action... I gave testimony under oath. Mr Roberts-Smith is now facing criminal charges, so it is possible that I will be called as a witness.' He urged respect for the rule of law and the accused's right to a fair trial.
Hastie's Anzac Day post also drew criticism from disgraced former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann, who commented: 'A most inappropriate post given your complicity in the ongoing public shaming and mudslinging against our ADF. Your betrayal of BRS and the ADF won't be forgotten.'
Public Appearances
Roberts-Smith and Ms Matulin attended an Anzac Day commemoration at Currumbin RSL on the Gold Coast on Saturday, where he was seen smiling for selfies with supporters. 'I've never thought about not coming,' he told the ABC. 'I was always going to be here.'
