|
'''Flawed Hero: Truth, lies and war crimes''' is a 2023 non-fiction book by Australian investigative journalist [[Chris Masters (writer)|Chris Masters]], published by [[Allen & Unwin]]. |
|
'''Flawed Hero: Truth, lies and war crimes''' is a 2023 non-fiction book by Australian investigative journalist [[Chris Masters (writer)|Chris Masters]], published by [[Allen & Unwin]]. The book details allegations of war crimes against [[Ben Roberts-Smith]] and a subsequent defamation action undertaken by Roberts against Masters and others.[{{Cite book |last=Masters |first=Chris |author-link=Chris Masters (writer) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RB7HEAAAQBAJ |title=Flawed Hero: Truth, lies and war crimes |date=2023 |publisher=[[Allen & Unwin]] |isbn=9781761069819 |language=en-AU}}] |
|
In July 2023, Chris Masters published a book detailing the allegations of war crimes and later defamation lawsuit.[{{Cite book |last=Masters |first=Chris |author-link=Chris Masters (writer) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RB7HEAAAQBAJ |title=Flawed Hero: Truth, lies and war crimes |date=2023 |publisher=[[Allen & Unwin]] |isbn=9781761069819 |language=en-AU}}] A committee of the Australian War Memorial selected the book for award of a major prize. The council of the memorial overruled the selection, stating that the committee had not applied recently updated criteria. Masters and others involved criticised the retrospective change which disqualified his book.[{{cite news |last=O'Brien |first=Kerrie |date=12 September 2025 |title=Australian War Memorial changes book prize rules to reject Ben Roberts-Smith exposé |url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/books/australian-war-memorial-changes-book-prize-rules-to-reject-ben-roberts-smith-expos-20250912-p5mull.html |access-date=12 September 2025 |work=Sydney Morning Herald}}][{{cite news |last=Masters |first=Chris |date=14 September 2025 |title=How is that an Aussie fair go, for the War Memorial to change the rules at half-time? |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/how-is-that-an-aussie-fair-go-for-the-war-memorial-to-change-the-rules-at-half-time-20250913-p5muqu.html |access-date=14 September 2025 |work=Sydney Morning Herald}}] However, the council defended its decision with support from prime minister Anthony Albanese.[{{cite news |last1=Bonyhady |first1=Nick |last2=McGoverne |first2=Conor |date=14 September 2025 |title=Albanese backs War Memorial council despite prize fiasco |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/albanese-backs-war-memorial-council-despite-prize-fiasco-20250914-p5muwr.html |access-date=15 September 2025 |work=Sydney Morning Herald}}][{{cite news |last=Knott |first=Matthew |date=15 September 2025 |title=Kim Beazley defends controversial decision to deny Chris Masters a literary prize |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/kim-beazley-defends-controversial-decision-to-deny-chris-masters-a-literary-prize-20250915-p5mv6z.html?dicbo=v2-7GEjsBo |access-date=17 September 2025}}]
|
|
A committee of the [[Australian War Memorial]] selected the book for award of a major prize. The council of the memorial subsequently overruled the selection, stating that the committee had not applied recently updated criteria. Masters and others involved criticised the retrospective change which disqualified his book.[{{cite news |last=O'Brien |first=Kerrie |date=12 September 2025 |title=Australian War Memorial changes book prize rules to reject Ben Roberts-Smith exposé |url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/books/australian-war-memorial-changes-book-prize-rules-to-reject-ben-roberts-smith-expos-20250912-p5mull.html |access-date=12 September 2025 |work=Sydney Morning Herald}}][{{cite news |last=Masters |first=Chris |date=14 September 2025 |title=How is that an Aussie fair go, for the War Memorial to change the rules at half-time? |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/how-is-that-an-aussie-fair-go-for-the-war-memorial-to-change-the-rules-at-half-time-20250913-p5muqu.html |access-date=14 September 2025 |work=Sydney Morning Herald}}] However, the council defended its decision with support from prime minister Anthony Albanese.[{{cite news |last1=Bonyhady |first1=Nick |last2=McGoverne |first2=Conor |date=14 September 2025 |title=Albanese backs War Memorial council despite prize fiasco |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/albanese-backs-war-memorial-council-despite-prize-fiasco-20250914-p5muwr.html |access-date=15 September 2025 |work=Sydney Morning Herald}}][{{cite news |last=Knott |first=Matthew |date=15 September 2025 |title=Kim Beazley defends controversial decision to deny Chris Masters a literary prize |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/kim-beazley-defends-controversial-decision-to-deny-chris-masters-a-literary-prize-20250915-p5mv6z.html?dicbo=v2-7GEjsBo |access-date=17 September 2025}}] |
|
Following the council's decision, Masters was also disinvited from delivering the annual [[C. E. W. Bean]] military history lecture for 2026. In early November, however, the organisers of the lecture, Minders of Tuggeranong Homestead, reinvited Masters to give the lecture, which he will now give at a school in the [[Australian Capital Territory]].[{{cite news |last=Alexander |first=Harriet |date=5 November 2025 |title=Invited, uninvited, reinvited: Journalist will deliver controversial speech |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/invited-uninvited-reinvited-journalist-will-deliver-controversial-speech-20251104-p5n7qc.html |access-date=5 November 2025 |work=Sydney Morning Herald}}] |
|
Following the council's decision, Masters was also disinvited from delivering the annual [[C. E. W. Bean]] military history lecture for 2026. In early November, however, the organisers of the lecture, Minders of Tuggeranong Homestead, reinvited Masters to give the lecture, which he will now give at a school in the [[Australian Capital Territory]].[{{cite news |last=Alexander |first=Harriet |date=5 November 2025 |title=Invited, uninvited, reinvited: Journalist will deliver controversial speech |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/invited-uninvited-reinvited-journalist-will-deliver-controversial-speech-20251104-p5n7qc.html |access-date=5 November 2025 |work=Sydney Morning Herald}}] |
Like
0
Dislike
0
Love
0
Funny
0
Angry
0
Sad
0
Wow
0
