$3.40THEMONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2019 @PublishedAGE in Melbourne since 1854 theage.com.au INDEPENDENT. ALWAYS. TIME TO KIWIS TESTED ‘WE DON’T SLEEP IN AND BESTED GIVE UP’ Call for later Australia romp to victory over White Island search goes school starts New Zealand in Perth on as death toll rises EDUCATION PAGE 20 SPORT PAGE 48 NEWS PAGE 8 ‘AFGHAN EXECUTED’ Photo: AAP Melbourne driving New AFP growth in economy probe of EXCLUSIVE Shane Wright Senior economics correspondent Melbourne is driving national eco- nomic growth on the back of bur- war hero geoning finance, construction and health services, with forecasts it will challenge Sydney as the econo- EXCLUSIVE served with coalition forces in Af- my’s most important city. Nick McKenzie ghanistan. Areporttobereleasedtoday Chris Masters Multiple official sources who also shows the drought is taking a cannot be identified have con- huge economic toll on parts of The Australian Federal Police firmed that both federal police Queensland, NSW and Victoria, have begun a second war crimes taskforces have separately widening the gap between them investigation into Australia’s most obtained sworn witness state- and urban Australia as Sydney and decorated living soldier, former ments from SAS soldiers or sup- Melbourne draw away from rural special services corporal Ben port staff who allege they directly areas and regional centres. Roberts-Smith. saw Mr Roberts-Smith commit SGS Economics and Planning The new police investigation is war crimes. found that during 2018-19, the Mel- looking into allegations that Mr The new inquiry is looking into bourne economy alone accounted Roberts-Smith is implicated in the the alleged execution of an Afghan for 40 per cent of Australia’s total summary execution of a man at a man who was confronted by the growth. Melbourne gross domestic compound in southern Afghani- SAS during an operation in the vil- product reached $369 billion com- stan in April 2009. Two separate lage of Kakarak in southern Af- pared with regional Victoria’s teams of federal police detectives ghanistan on Easter Sunday 2009. $76 billion. are now investigating Mr Roberts- The man was in a compound the Australian GDP expanded by Smith over his alleged involvement SAS named Whiskey 108 and 1.9 per cent but Melbourne’s own in the murders of unarmed men, which was the subject of an assault GDP lifted by 4 per cent. Sydney one of them a detainee. by several SAS patrols, including AMERICAN GDP at $461 billion grew by 2.6 per It makes the Victoria Cross and one in which Mr Roberts-Smith cent, its lowest rate since 2012-13, Medal of Gallantry recipient the was deputy commander. to account for a third of national subject of more serious war crimes The compound was thought to BEAUTY growth. inquiries than any special forces be hiding several militants and was Tiger Woods led the US to a 16-14 comeback win in the Adelaide’s GDP, though much veteran in the Commonwealth. struck by a bomb before Mr Presidents Cup over Ernie Els’ Internationals. smaller than Sydney’s, grew The former soldier is among the most decorated veterans to have Continued Page 6 SPORT PAGE 48 Continued Page 4 Farmer leads action over Roundup Surplus plan on track EXCLUSIVE turer Monsanto, of repeatedly ig- ence evidencing its knowledge of Shane Wright remains on track to deliver a sur- Cameron Houston noring and concealing evidence of the inherent dangers of the use and plus in 2019-20 – the first surplus in the carcinogenic impact of glypho- exposure to its Roundup Treasurer Josh Frydenberg will 11 years – despite a hit to company A former Victorian farmer will sate – the active component in its products,’’ the writ claims. stand by the Morrison govern- tax and lower GST which will leave lead a major class action against top-selling herbicide – in a Su- Mr Maisano owned farms in ment’s promise of a budget surplus the states and territories worse off. German pharmaceutical giant preme Court of Victoria writ Lower Crawford, Carngham and in his mid-year update of the The budget, released in April, Bayer over claims that long-term lodged on December 10. Clarkefield, where he used Round- nation’s finances even as the forecast a surplus this financial exposure to the popular weedkiller ‘‘Monsanto and Bayer are in pos- up since 1976 to rid his properties drought and spending-averse con- year of $7.1 billion to be followed Roundup can cause non-Hodgkin session of a substantial body of in- of thistle, build fire-breaks and re- sumers cut federal revenue. by an $11 billion surplus the follow- lymphoma. ternal and external studies, labor- move weeds from his vegetable Mr Frydenberg will today use ing year. Nando Maisano, 77, also accuses atory test results, documents, re- the mid-year economic and fiscal Bayer, and the original manufac- ports, surveys and correspond- Continued Page 4 outlook to confirm the government REPORT Page 4 Change the course Mum says she of a child’s life doesn’t want me to this Christmas. grow up poor like her. DONATE NOW Help a child like Beth* break the cycle of poverty. The Smith Family *Names have been changed to protect the identity of the child and their family. NATAGED2 A001 6 THE AGE MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2019 NEWS SPECIAL REPORT Second war crimes investigation into ex-corporal Ben Roberts-Smith From Page 1 Roberts-Smith’s patrol entered. Federal police are investigating witness testimony from SAS members that has implicated Mr Roberts-Smith in the execution of an unarmed Afghan man with a prosthetic leg who was found at the entrance to Whiskey 108. Defence sources have confirmed at least three SAS members have agreed to testify against Mr Roberts-Smith in a criminal prosecution, alleging the famous soldier executed the man. Under the laws of war, if the man did not pose a threat he should have been detained. Aphotoofthedeadman obtained by The Age shows him lying on his back with no weapon in sight. In September, The Age revealed that another AFP taskforce was investigating Mr Roberts-Smith over allegations he kicked a handcuffed and innocent detainee, Ali Jan, off a cliff in the village of Darwan in September 2012. The Darwan taskforce has also obtained co-operation from SAS witnesses and support staff willing Under investigation: (clockwise to testify on oath against the from main) Ben Roberts-Smith, decorated soldier. the body of an Afghan killed in Defence and Afghan based 2009, and Ali Jan’s widow and sources said their testimony was brother Bibi and Abdul Ahmad. supported by Afghan witnesses Main photo: Sitthixay Ditthavong who earlier this year gave sworn statements to the AFP in Kabul. Mr Roberts-Smith denies all AFGHANISTAN AFP confirms investigation Richmond fa the winning wrongdoing, has a separate Police probe hero Photos: Chris account of the day in question and over ‘war crimes’ says his accusers are jealous rivals. SAS hero EXCLUSIVE citing an ongoing investigation, has jurisdiction to investigate Victoria Cross claims of unlawful acts by Australi- recipient Ben Nick McKenzie an soldiers serving overseas. Roberts- Sources from the special forces Chris Masters This is the second major inquiry Smith. to begin probing the famous for- Federal Police have launched a mer special forces corporal over major investigation into Austra- allegations he committed war subject of said that, in the case of the Darwan lia’s most decorated former sol- crimes in Afghanistan. dier, Ben Roberts-Smith, over al- Aquasi-judicialinvestigation legations he committed war launched by the Defence crimes in Afghanistan. Inspector-General in 2016 and led incident, Mr Roberts-Smith was The AFP began investigating by NSW Court of Appeal judge the Victoria Cross recipient in Paul Brereton is separately invest- June over his alleged actions while igating Mr Roberts-Smith along serving with a special forces patrol with a small number of other spe- during Australia’s longest war. cial forces soldiers. war crime relying on the testimony of an SAS In a statement to The Age sent Since The Age first detailed seri- last night, an AFP spokesperson ous allegations about Mr Roberts- said: ‘‘The Australian Federal Po- Smith, he has vehemently denied lice (AFP) received a referral to any wrongdoing in Afghanistan, in- soldier who claimed it was he who investigate allegations of war sisted he has a “spotless record” crimes committed by Australian and insisted those making claims soldiers during the Afghanistan about him are disgruntled or jeal- conflict.’’ ous liars. shot Ali Jan because he was a It is understood that both the The AFP recently began collect- Chief of the Defence Force, ing witness statements from mem- inquiry Lieutenant-General Angus Camp- bers of the Special Air Service Re- bell, and the Inspector-General of giment in Perth after quizzing the Australian Defence Force, them about Mr Roberts-Smith, ac- hostile insurgent posing a risk to which is conducting its own in- cording to defence insiders. EXCLUSIVE quiry, have been briefed on the po- It is understood Mr Roberts- lice referral, though it is unclear if Smith has not yet been interviewed Nick McKenzie SECRETS either is the source of it. by the AFP, although the agency Australian soldiers. The police probe into Mr would not comment on the details Chris Masters Roberts-Smith – one of the most of its inquiry. Typically, people of OF WAR secretive investigations in the interest in a police inquiry are not nation – is the most serious inquiry interviewed until its later stages. Australia’s most highly decorated But multiple special forces ever conducted by the police into Mr Roberts-Smith’s supporters former SAS soldier, Ben Roberts- W alleged war crimes.