In the defamation trial of the century, Australia’s most decorated living soldier is seeking to defend his reputation against reports in three newspapers that he says falsely accuse him of being a war criminal. His lawyers argue Ben Roberts-Smith has been unfairly targeted by envious comrades and assisted by credulous journalists. The newspapers’ lawyers say their reporting is true, and that Roberts-Smith broke the ‘moral and legal rules of military engagement’, something he denies outright. But who is Ben Roberts-Smith, and how did he earn the military’s highest honour, the Victoria Cross?

Ben Roberts-Smith v the media part one: reputation

Gina Rinehart tops Australia's rich list. She is a success story, worth almost $40bn. She’s also a climate sceptic, a Trumpette, a litigant – even against her own kids – and the woman who saved Australian swimming. She doesn’t shy from a fight and she’s sensitive about controlling her image. As her wealth continues to rise, so do her power and her influence. For her whole life she has advocated for rightwing causes – she’s a fierce critic of bureaucracy, and wants to cut red and green tape to boost the country’s prosperity. We explore how much power she has. Hearing from a range of her critics and defenders, and tracing her influence from the Pilbara to the corridors of power, this series asks: who is Gina Rinehart and what does she want? Listen and subscribe to Gina on Apple podcasts, Spotify or any other podcast app. You can also find all The Guardian's best other series by the Australian audio team here on this podcast feed.

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Ben Roberts-Smith v the media part one: reputation

Ben Roberts-Smith v the media part one: reputation

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