Six years from 'credible information' to criminal charges, and Hastie calls it sobering

SMH · Clay Lucas · Thursday 9 April 2026

Six years from 'credible information' to criminal charges, and Hastie calls it sobering

Former SAS captain and Coalition MP Andrew Hastie may testify in the Ben Roberts-Smith murder trial, calling the arrest a 'sobering day' while cautioning against prejudicing proceedings.

Hastie calls it a 'sobering day' — mate, the Brereton report landed in 2020. Six years to get from 'credible information' to criminal charges while the regiment closed ranks, the decorated walked free, and the political class discovered its concern for due process at exactly the pace required to avoid doing anything uncomfortable. The sobriety was always available. Nobody ordered it.

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