From Live Reporting to Watchdog Probe: Timeline of the Roberts-Smith Media Leak Controversy
By Alexander Ross
Q1: What started the public leaks in the Ben Roberts-Smith controversy?
The controversy began between 2017 and 2018 when Chris Masters and Nick McKenzie reported for Fairfax Media (now Nine Publishing) on special forces conduct in Afghanistan. SAS insiders, frustrated by internal inaction over alleged unlawful killings, shared field reports that challenged official military accounts.
Q2: Why did the Australian War Memorial change its literary prize guidelines?
In September 2025, the Memorial altered the Les Carlyon Literary Prize criteria to favor internal collection histories. This change disqualified Chris Masters’ *Flawed Hero*, drawing public criticism that the institution was sidestepping documented accounts of war crimes.
Q3: How does the National Anti-Corruption Commission fit into the ongoing investigation?
The NACC reviews referrals from the Office of the Special Investigator and federal police. Its mandate focuses on administrative corruption, including alleged witness tampering, misuse of classified defense intelligence, and systemic oversight failures across defense leadership.
Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.
