War memorial to keep Ben Roberts-Smith display as he quits Seven

The Australian War Memorial will leave in place displays lionising Ben Roberts-Smith’s uniform, medals and portrait, after the Federal Court found he was a murderer and war criminal.

After the disgraced soldier resigned from his position as a senior Queensland executive for Channel Seven, the museum confirmed the exhibit would not be removed.

Instead, Kim Beazley, chairman of the War Memorial Council, said it would look for ways to add context to the exhibits.

“The memorial acknowledges the gravity of the decision in the Ben Roberts-Smith defamation case and its broader impact on all involved in the Australian community,” he said, adding the court’s finding was a civil decision.

The uniform of former SAS soldier Ben Roberts-Smith, on display at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

He noted that the memorial’s job was to remember and understand Australia’s experience at war, including how it was conducted and what consequences it had.

“We are considering carefully the additional content and context to be included in these displays,” Beazley, a former Labor leader, said.

The Greens called on the memorial to remove Roberts-Smith’s artefacts from display while international law professor Ben Saul argues they should be recontextualised to show that, alongside the soldier’s bravery, he also committed horrific acts.

At the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore on Friday night, Defence Force Chief Angus Campbell was asked about Roberts-Smith and the court ruling that he committed war crimes during a panel appearance.

“That’s a question that is very legitimate back in Australia,” he said, speaking alongside military officials from the United States, Japan and the Philippines.

“I think that’s exactly the conversation I see the fourth estate engaging with and quite rightly. But not for here.”

Roberts-Smith’s legal fights were initially funded by Seven before a private entity linked to the company’s majority owner Kerry Stokes took over covering his bills via a loan.

Seven and Stokes had consistently given Roberts-Smith a full-throated defence during the trial, lashing “scumbag journalists” for reporting on the man once seen as a heroic soldier.

On Friday, a day after Federal Court Justice Anthony Besanko handed down his decision, chief executive James Warburton told staff that Roberts-Smith had resigned.

“As you’re all aware, the judgment in the defamation case was handed down yesterday,” Warburton wrote in an email obtained by other media outlets.

“Ben has been on leave whilst the case was running, and today has offered his resignation, which we have accepted.

“We thank Ben for his commitment to Seven and wish him all the best.”

Roberts-Smith’s exit from Seven will help the network head off any advertising backlash from brands wary of being indirectly associated with a man the court found had disgraced the nation.

Phil Benedictus, co-founder of the ethical ad buying firm Benedictus Media, said he questioned Stokes’ judgment but did not forecast advertisers making changes.

“I’ve found it interesting that BRS’ defence was pointing a finger saying: ‘This was about industry competition at Nine’ when it was Stokes who was financing the whole thing against his rivals,” Benedictus said.

But he said it was hard to make ethical distinctions between some ad destinations. “Is he [Stokes] worse than Zuckerberg? Worse than Murdoch? I don’t know.”

“At the end of the day as a buyer I have to spend my clients’ money in the way that’s most effective; that’s my top obligation.”

Benedictus said Roberts-Smith staying would have been untenable.

“Employing a murderer; you just can’t do that when everyone knows,” he said.

Seven’s share price was up about 4 per cent on Friday afternoon just after 3pm, trading about 40¢ a share, and up more than 5 per cent for the week.

Chris Walton, from Nunn Media, said he did not think advertisers would change their view of Seven.

“Seven have moved very promptly and appropriately, and therefore it won’t become an issue,” Walton said.

A number of major advertisers, including JB Hi-Fi and Coles, declined to comment on Friday.

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