When questioned about Australia’s alleged war crimes during a press conference earlier this week, Scott Morrison dismissed concerns stating, “There will be time to talk about those things. Today is not that time.” It begs the question, when is the right time to criticise the culture and alleged crimes of Australia’s Armed Forces?
As Anzac Day approaches, the Australian media will have the difficult task of balancing fair critique of the alleged actions of the Armed Forces in Afghanistan whilst managing any public outrage over perceived “disrespect” of our soldiers. This year’s service will mark the first Anzac Day since the Brereton Report uncovered alleged war crimes committed by Australian soldiers in Afghanistan.
The upcoming commemoration is at risk of being overshadowed by recent reporting from The Age, Sydney Morning Herald and 60-minutes which has uncovered fresh allegations against Australia’s highest decorated soldier, Ben Roberts-Smith. The reports allege Roberts-Smith buried evidence that was requested for Major General Paul Brereton for his investigation of alleged war crimes committed by Australian soldiers in Afghanistan. Roberts-Smith has since profusely denied these allegations. The Australian Federal Police have confirmed they are investigating the matter.
Long seen as Australia’s genesis story, the Anzac legend has become so deeply entrenched in the Australian psyche that any criticism of the Armed Forces has been likened to an attack on Australia itself. Reporting on the Brereton Report and the most recent allegations against Roberts-Smith has seen a barrage of comments on social media demanding that journalists “keep their noses out of it” and to “leave our military alone”.
Associate Professor of Australian History and the Director of Research for the School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry at the University of Queensland, Martin Crotty, believes that the Australian public suffers from cognitive dissonance when it comes to comprehending Australian soldiers committing war crimes.
“It’s a lot easier for people to turn their eyes away, a lot easier for them to say that the media should keep out of it than it is for them to question their own beliefs about Australian soldiers and the Anzac legend,” says Associate Professor Crotty.
“People will look to simplistic explanations as opposed to accepting complex, disturbing and unsettling realities. It’s a process of denial.”
The recent sentiments towards the Australian media “meddling” in military business are not new. The Australian public has a history of attacking journalists and media commentators who openly criticise the Armed Forces. In 2009, historian Marilyn Lake was heavily condemned by the public when she wrote an opinion piece for The Age that discussed the Anzac myths ability to marginalise and erase other narratives and experiences.
This concept was exemplified in 2017 when author Yassmin Abdel-Magied published a seven-word Facebook post which read “LEST. WE. FORGET. (Manus, Nauru, Syria, Palestine…).” The post was met with outrage and was promptly deleted, yet Abdel-Magied continued to be lambasted by the Australian public. For years following the incident, Abdel-Magied was subject to racist and sexist slurs, and death threats, not only from members of the public but from other members of the media. In one instance, former journalist Prue MacSween announced on a 2GB radio program that she would have been “tempted to run her over.”
This strong reverence for Anzac as an untouchable ideology may have roots in the religious connotation of the narrative. The late Australian historian, Ken Inglis, once referred to Anzac Day and its legend as Australia’s “civil religion,” noting the religious imagery and language such as “spirit” and “sacrifice” which was often used in association with the legend. Australian journalists are tasked with providing nuanced criticism of the military’s actions in a manner that is not recognised as sacrilegious.
“It’s much more than just an idea about our history, it’s an article of faith,” says Associate Professor Crotty.
“My analogy for this is: biblical criticism is all well and good but you’re going to get in trouble if you do it on Easter Sunday in a cathedral.”
The Australian Government announced this week that it would be removing its troops from Afghanistan by September 2021. After 20 years of conflict, the removal of troops from the region will finally draw Australia’s longest war to a close.
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