A former New Zealand solider who gave key evidence in a trial centred around a now disgraced former Australian SAS soldier has been deemed an unreliable and dishonest witness, by the trial judge.
Ben Roberts-Smith, who won the Victoria Cross for his actions in Afghanistan, had sued Australian newspapers who'd accused him of war crimes, including the murder of prisoners.
But the court dismissed the defamation action against the newspaper and journalists, finding the allegations to be "substantially true".
The evidence of "person 35" who was in the NZ SAS before serving for Australia - was discredited in the detailed judgement.
One of the investigative journalists who revealed Roberts-Smith's war crimes and who was subject to the defamation action, Nick McKenzie from the Melbourne Age, talks to Lisa Owen.
