Ben Roberts-Smith, Australia's most decorated living soldier, has launched a commercial brand just days before a 'gobsmacking' two hour media interview is aired - his first since his arrest on five war crimes charges in April.
asserted
interview → decorate → April
The Victoria Cross recipient, who has typically kept quiet throughout his civil and criminal court cases, has taken a decidedly more public-facing role in recent days, launching a brand to support himself financially, conducting a longform media interview and making two public appearances.
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who → keep → appearances
The Daily Mail has learned that 2GB breakfast host Ben Fordham has conducted a two hour interview with the SAS soldier that is set to air over two days this coming week on the Sydney radio station and YouTube.
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that → learn → station
The content has been described by insiders as 'gobsmacking', confronting and highly emotional.
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content → describe → insiders
It comes after Roberts-Smith this week launched a website and social media account for a new clothing brand called 'EPIC 1 TWO', named after the radio callsign the veteran used while serving in Afghanistan.
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veteran → come → Afghanistan
'So EPIC 1 TWO was my callsign on the day that I fought the battle for which I was awarded the Victoria Cross,' the 47-year-old told news.com.au.
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old → fight → news.com.au
The commercial venture, which promises a military and first responders discount for its first 'collection', is intended to provide financial support for Roberts-Smith, who has struggled to find conventional employment to support his twin daughters and fund his legal costs.
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who → promise → costs
'The whole premise of doing a brand, from my perspective, is to, one, I mean, I've gotta try and find some way to make money for my family,' he said.
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he → do → family
Ben Roberts-Smith has launched a commercial brand just days before the first major interview since he was arrested over war crimes charges is set to air
Roberts-Smith was arrested on a plane at Sydney Domestic Airport in April
Roberts-Smith said EPIC 1 TWO would hopefully provide financial support after he said he struggled to find conventional employment and meet his legal costs following allegations against him
'At the end of the day there is too much pressure from media outlets on organisations that want to support me.
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that → launch → me
It's about the underdog, it's about people just knowing that no matter how hard it is for them, no matter what struggle that they face, they are going to get through it.
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they → know → it
They've just got to keep going.
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They → get → ?
Roberts-Smith was arrested at Sydney Airport earlier in April and charged with five murder offences under Australia's war crimes laws.
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Smith → arrest → laws
He has not entered pleas to the charges and has consistently maintained his innocence.
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He → enter → innocence
The Mail has been told Roberts-Smith's interview covers the highs and lows of his military career, his arrest on a plane at Sydney Domestic Airport in April, and what life was like when he was taken into custody including how he was treated by inmates and guards.
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he → tell → inmates
The audience will see him 'angry, devastated and heartbroken' in more than two hours of footage, which will also be published on YouTube.
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which → see → YouTube
A source who has seen the interview described it as confronting, funny and highly emotional, with Fordham asking the tough questions.
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Fordham → see → questions
It is understood lawyers representing both the radio station and Roberts-Smith were present during the recording to ensure the upcoming trial was not prejudiced.
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trial → understand → recording
The source said the raw nature of the interview, which is due to be broadcast on 2GB over two days next week, left staff who had watched it 'gobsmacked'.
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who → say → it
The Victoria Cross recipient, 47, has sat down with 2GB radio host Ben Fordham (pictured), the Daily Mail understands, in an interview spanning more than two hours
A source who has seen the interview described it as confronting, funny and highly emotional, with Roberts-Smith displaying a range of emotions throughout the conversation
The decorated veteran has been highly sought after by other high profile members of the media.
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veteran → sit → media
Former radio host-turned-livestreamer Kyle Sandilands claimed in August that he had secured an interview with Roberts-Smith.
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he → turn → Smith
No interview has yet aired and the Daily Mail has contacted Roberts-Smith's representatives for comment.
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Mail → air → comment
His representatives denied to The Sydney Morning Herald that any such interview had taken place.
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interview → deny → place
In July, the Herald also asked former Nine broadcaster Karl Stefanovic whether he had secured a longed-for chat with the veteran, to which he replied: 'I haven't chatted with him yet.'
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I → ask → him
He then added, when asked whether there would be an interview: 'You'll have to watch, my friend.'
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You → add → ?
Roberts-Smith's sit down with Fordham is just one of several star-studded appearances he has made over the last week.
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he → stud → week
On Monday, he joined Gina Rinehart in Brisbane to open the Daniel Keighran VC Apartments in Norman Park, the first Queensland homes delivered under her $200million commitment to housing homeless veterans.
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he → join → veterans
Mrs Rinehart and Roberts-Smith were pictured alongside Mr Keighran, a Queensland-born soldier who received the Victoria Cross for Australia for his actions under fire while on patrol in Derapet, Afghanistan in August 2010.
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who → picture → August
Roberts-Smith has appeared with high profile figures over the last week, joining mining magnate Gina Rinehart at the opening of the first Queensland homes delivered under her $200million commitment to housing homeless veterans
The day before, Roberts-Smith attended the Australian War Memorial in Canberra to mark 25 years since the nation deployed to Afghanistan.
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nation → appear → Afghanistan
He was photographed at Sunday's ceremony with his partner, Sarah Matulin, after receiving court permission to travel to Canberra under his bail conditions.
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He → photograph → conditions
Wearing his medals, he joined about 600 veterans at the service.
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he → wear → service
Roberts-Smith was arrested by the Australian Federal Police in April and charged over the alleged killings of five unarmed Afghan men between 2009 and 2012 while serving with the Special Air Service Regiment.
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Smith → arrest → Regiment
He was also accused of aiding, abetting or counselling another person to commit a murder on three separate occasions.
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He → accuse → occasions
He has categorically denied the allegations and is expected to vigorously contest the charges.
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He → deny → charges
Roberts-Smith's appearance in Canberra came more than three years after he lost his defamation case against Nine newspapers.
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he → come → newspapers
In that civil case, Federal Court Justice Anthony Besanko found on the balance of probabilities that several allegations of Roberts-Smith’s involvement in unlawful killings were substantially true.
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allegations → find → killings
Those civil findings were made under a lower standard of proof than applies in criminal proceedings, and Roberts-Smith has not been convicted of any offence.
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Smith → make → offence
The Aporia
