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Following years of investigation, Ben Roberts-Smith has faced court after being arrested and charged with five counts of the war crime of murder. He’s only the second Australian to be charged with such offences, and the most high-profile.
Roberts-Smith, who’s always denied any wrongdoing, has been in and out of the headlines and courts for years. Military law experts Paul Taucher and Dean Aszkielowicz lay out the timeline over the last decade.
And then there’s the path ahead. How are alleged war crimes dealt with in Australian courts? Taucher and Aszkielowicz explain the legal procedures involved and what comes next.
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Erin Cooper-Douglas
Public Policy Editor
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Paul Taucher, Murdoch University; Dean Aszkielowicz, Murdoch University
Australia’s most decorated living soldier, who has always denied any wrongdoing, is facing criminal proceedings. The path to this point has been long and complex.
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Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
The Victoria Cross recipient was arrested at Sydney Airport.
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Donald Rothwell, Australian National University
US President Donald Trump has threatened to 'demolish' Iran if it doesn’t reopen the crucial shipping channel, but it’s not the most likely path to reopening.
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Mark Alfano, Macquarie University; Michał Klincewicz, Tilburg University
Even obviously fake propaganda videos can influence viewers – and erode their trust in all kinds of information.
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Peter Newman, Curtin University; Ray Wills, The University of Western Australia
The government’s response to the fuel crisis has been to reassure us normality will resume. Amid global uncertainty, that’s not enough.
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Carolyn Heward, James Cook University
The safeguards in place to protect research integrity are not keeping pace with the tools that can be used to circumvent them.
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Helen Bird, Swinburne University of Technology
In the next two months, expect to see some big changes at the ASX. But there’s a lot more to do to tackle its ‘systemic, long-standing and deeply embedded’ problems.
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Barbara Mintzes, University of Sydney; Betty Chaar, University of Sydney; Christine Mary Hallinan, The University of Melbourne; Christopher Rudge, University of Sydney; Wendy Lipworth, Macquarie University
We asked 5 experts if clinics should be allowed to prescribe medicinal cannabis if they have financial links to the supplier or dispenser. Here’s what they said.
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Health + Medicine
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Sharon McLennan, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
World Health Organization regulations are not a threat to national sovereignty, and they apply lessons learned from COVID. So why did NZ opt out?
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Iris Lim, Bond University
Many women can go straight to the pharmacy and get antibiotics without having to wait to see a doctor. But some symptoms can signal a more serious infection.
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Celia Harris, Western Sydney University; Justin Christensen, Western Sydney University
Whenever you ride a bike or knit a sweater, you’re using your procedural memory. Two cognitive scientists explain what it is and how it works.
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John Donne Potter, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University; Amanda Kvalsvig, University of Otago
The prevalence of long COVID is more than a hundred times greater than the definition of a rare disease – yet there are no specific health services or support.
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Environment + Energy
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Bjorn Sturmberg, Australian National University; Arastoo Teymouri, UNSW Sydney
For millions of Australians without off-street parking, charging is an obstacle to shifting to an electric vehicle. Kerbside chargers could help.
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Science + Technology
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Caroline Swee Lin Tan, RMIT University; Saniyat Islam, RMIT University
Many alternatives to animal leather – even the ones made with plants – are plastic‑based composites with short lifespans.
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Arts + Culture
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Thomas J. Derrick, Macquarie University
Some have suggested rampant extramarital sex in elite Roman circles led to demand for silphium outstripping supply.
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Books + Ideas
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Seth Robinson, The University of Melbourne
Steve Toltz was shortlisted for the Booker for his rollicking debut. His new novel, A Rising of the Lights, suggests true solace lies in human connection.
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Amber Gwynne, The University of Queensland
29-year-old Madeline Cash’s debut novel was lauded by Lena Dunham – and it’s inspired by The Corrections and hard-boiled detective fiction.
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Too little, too late
“As a lifelong Labor voter, I am deeply disappointed by the government’s handling of the ongoing fuel crisis. I believe the government should have acted much sooner. The reluctance to implement fuel rationing is puzzling, given that such measures have been taken in the past with manageable outcomes. Proactive rationing would help prolong available supplies and provide some relief to those most affected. The current advice, which simply encourages people not to take more than they need, appears ineffective. Anxiety is widespread, and our heavy reliance on cars and trucks for daily transport is a significant issue – one that warrants its own separate
discussion.”
Carol Benda
The illusion of change
“Reading of Prime Minister Albanese's proposed reforms to gambling ads, I was struck by the similarities with his approach to the recent environment law reforms. In both cases, Albanese promised real change before ultimately giving in to industry pressure. In both cases, he preferred to create the illusion of change rather than following the advice of experts. The prime minister even uses the same language, justifying his inadequate reforms as a means to 'getting the balance right'. In both cases, the outcome may, unfortunately, be the same: a loss of momentum, a feeling that the problem has been dealt with – and the very real proposition that Australians
will wait many more years for change.”
Greg Taylor, Claremont WA
Safety vs sleep
“While I do recognise the enormous benefits suggested in your article about the PB/5 pedestrian crossing button audio, I have a serious request for some sort of updated technology which is quiet. I live in the suburbs only 40 metres from one. Has anyone considered the hot sleepless nights caused by the continuous beeping of the device which is rarely, if ever, used overnight? It’s noise pollution and a health hazard to those whose sleep and comfort are constantly disturbed by these devices.”
Denis Murdoch, Stafford Qld
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