Andrew Hastie faced political attacks following court testimony against Ben Roberts-Smith

The short version

• Andrew Hastie testified under subpoena in the 2022 defamation trial involving Ben Roberts-Smith.[The Guardian]
• Justice Anthony Besanko described Hastie as honest and straightforward, while finding Roberts-Smith neither honest nor reliable.[The Guardian]
• Pauline Hanson's One Nation party subsequently attacked Hastie online with insulting cartoons and slurs.[The Guardian]
• Roberts-Smith continues to categorically deny all allegations made against him.[The Guardian]

Key facts

• Andrew Hastie appeared as a witness in the Ben Roberts-Smith defamation proceeding in 2022 only under subpoena.[The Guardian]
• Justice Anthony Besanko evaluated Andrew Hastie as an honest and straightforward witness, but concluded Ben Roberts-Smith was not honest and reliable.[The Guardian]
• Pauline Hanson's One Nation party published an online cartoon labeling Hastie a gutless maggot and a traitor.[The Guardian]
• Hastie informed the federal court of a widespread view across the SAS that Roberts-Smith acted as a bully.[The Guardian]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.

• ‘I don’t want to be here’: Andrew Hastie was a reluctant but ‘straightforward’ witness in the Ben Roberts-Smith defamation caseThe Guardian - World