stand with Ben Roberts-Smith.
Ben Roberts-Smith, a Victoria Cross recipient and war hero, was arrested in front of his two daughters.
For many Australians, this feels politically motivated.
Ben Roberts-Smith is one of Australia’s most decorated soldiers, awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia and the Medal for Gallantry for his service in Afghanistan. He risked his life for this country and for the men beside him, and for years represented the kind of courage Australians are told to respect.
He has now been arrested after a decade of investigations that have cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. That level of time, money, and institutional focus has raised serious questions for many Australians about priorities and intent, particularly when directed at someone whose service once symbolised national pride.
The fact that his arrest took place in front of his two daughters has struck a nerve. It is not just the legal process people are reacting to, but the way it is being carried out and what it says about how this country treats those who have served it.
Senator Pauline Hanson has made it clear she will not walk away. She has said Australians should not abandon Ben Roberts-Smith or his family at a time when they need support the most.
What is Happening
If Australians stay silent about this, it changes how every current and former member of the Australian Defence Force understands what their service is worth once they return home. A man who fought for this country, who was awarded the Victoria Cross for putting his life on the line, has been arrested in front of his daughters after years of investigations that have consumed enormous public resources.
For many Australians, it is not just confronting, it raises serious questions about how someone who served at that level is now being treated.
That concern goes beyond one individual because it speaks directly to what happens after the uniform comes off. Soldiers are told their service matters, that their sacrifice will be honoured, and that the country stands behind them. When Australians see a war hero taken into custody in front of his children, after a decade of pursuit by powerful institutions, it forces a reassessment of whether that promise still holds in practice.
This is why speaking up matters. Political leaders pay attention when Australians make it clear that they are watching closely, that they expect respect for those who have served, and that they are not willing to accept this kind of treatment without question.
Why we need to act
Stand with Ben Roberts-Smith
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Stand with Ben Roberts-Smith ✳︎
Sign the petition calling on the Australian Government to:
Formally recognise Ben Roberts-Smith’s military service and the sacrifice he made in defence of Australia.
Acknowledge the circumstances of his arrest in front of his two daughters and the impact on his family.
Affirm that those who have served this country must be treated with fairness, dignity, and due process.
Ensure that investigations and legal actions involving Australian soldiers are conducted with proper balance, proportionality, and accountability.
Add your name now to stand with a war hero and make it clear that Australians do not turn their backs on those who served them..
Take Action
Petition to the Australian Senate
To the Honourable the President and Members of the Senate in Parliament assembled:
We, the undersigned, draw to the attention of the Senate the military service of Mr Ben Roberts-Smith VC, MG and the concerns held by many Australians about how he is now being treated.
Mr Roberts-Smith is one of Australia’s most decorated soldiers. He served in Afghanistan and was awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia and the Medal for Gallantry for acts of courage under fire. He placed himself in danger in defence of this country and the men beside him.
We draw attention to the fact that Mr Roberts-Smith was arrested in front of his two daughters. For many Australians, this was confronting and raised serious concerns about how someone who has served at this level is being treated.
We further note that authorities have spent approximately $300 million over a period of ten years pursuing this matter. This has led many Australians to question whether the level of resources, focus, and treatment in this case reflects fairness and proportionality.
We echo the position expressed by Senator Pauline Hanson that Mr Roberts-Smith, his family, and the broader defence community should not be abandoned at a time like this.
We believe that Australians who have risked their lives in defence of this country should be treated with respect, afforded due process, and supported by the nation they served.
Your petitioners therefore request that the Senate:
Formally recognise the military service and sacrifice of Mr Ben Roberts-Smith VC, MG.
Acknowledge the circumstances of his arrest and the impact on his family.
Affirm that current and former members of the Australian Defence Force must be treated with fairness, dignity, and due process.
Ensure that investigations and legal actions involving Australian soldiers are conducted with appropriate balance, proportionality, and accountability.
And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.
SEND A PERSONAL EMAIL TO THE GOVERNMENT
Send a direct message to key Federal MPs calling on them to recognise Ben Roberts-Smith’s service and uphold fair treatment.
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Every step matters.