Journalist Nick McKenzie admits to ‘deceptive methods’ if in the public interest during Ben Roberts-Smith bid for appeal

Investigative journalist Nick McKenzie has agreed in Ben Roberts-Smith’s bid to reopen his appeal for his defamation case that he has used “deceptive methods and subterfuge” to obtain information “on occasion if it is in the public interest”. In 2023 Justice Anthony Besanko ruled Roberts-Smith on the balance of probabilities had murdered unarmed civilians while serving in Afghanistan. McKenzie accepted his methods had been unlawful, but asserted he had not crossed a line and had been upfront about those methods in the published story. Moses also argued the evidence had probative value because it “contains an admission by McKenzie of a serious nature”. The hearing before Justice Perram, Justice Katzmann, and Justice Kennett continues.