War Memorial Stands Firm on Roberts-Smith Display

0:00It's April 18th. Welcome in. This is Sydney News Today, where local news meets AI. The Australian War Memorial in Canberra is holding firm on its display for Victoria Crosswinner Ben Robert Smith in the Hall of Valor. No changes coming, even with his trial looming for five counts of war crime murder from Afghanistan deployments between 2009 and 2012. Director Matt Anderson made that clear, saying they'll just update facts as they come out. That display features Robert Smith's uniform and medals from his special air service days with a panel below now noting those charges added this month. Anderson stresses the Victoria Cross honors his bravery on June 11th, 2010, engraved right on the medal. And that story stays for future. Generations Out of two million Aussies who've served over the last century, only 102 earned that top Valor award, so the memorial wants it told, straight.

1:00Greens Senator David Schubridge calls for pulling the display after Robert Smith lost a civil defamation case to nine newspapers in 20, 23, saying it ain't the full truth. Meanwhile, liberal MP and veteran Phil Thompson backs keeping it up, arguing the bravery award stand no matter the allegations. With bail granted last Friday, the memorials locked in to reflect whatever the trial brings next.