Ben Roberts-Smith Once Recommended Andrew Hastie Fail SAS Selection, Former Commando Alleges
A former Australian commando has claimed that Ben Roberts-Smith attempted to block Andrew Hastie from joining the SAS during a brutal 2010 selection course, adding a dramatic new chapter to the complex history of two of the country’s most high-profile military figures.
The relationship between former soldier Ben Roberts-Smith and politician Andrew Hastie has long been a subject of intense public interest.
Now, a new allegation has brought their first encounter back into sharp focus.
Former commando Heston Russell has claimed that Roberts-Smith, a highly decorated SAS veteran, once recommended that Hastie fail the regiment’s gruelling selection course.
The claim, made during a recent media appearance, highlights the immense physical and psychological pressures of military selection.
However, the assertion comes from a single source and has not been independently established as fact, while Roberts-Smith has declined to comment.
What Happened During the 2010 SAS Selection Course
The alleged clash dates back to July 2010, when Hastie was a young Army officer attempting to complete the SAS Regiment’s notoriously demanding selection process.
At the time, Roberts-Smith was a prominent figure within the Australian special forces community following his service in Afghanistan.
According to Russell, Roberts-Smith played a role in putting candidates under extreme pressure during the course.
Russell alleged that Roberts-Smith “beasted” Hastie and that an incident occurred where the young officer refused to carry out an action because it conflicted with his personal values.
Following that scenario, Russell claims Roberts-Smith recommended that Hastie fail the course.
Despite the alleged recommendation, Hastie ultimately completed the grueling process on August 13, 2010, losing around 12 kilograms in three weeks and successfully earning his place in the regiment.
Why It Matters: Two Figures Shaped by Afghanistan
The alleged selection-course clash links two men who would later play vastly different, yet highly public, roles in Australian military and political life.
Hastie went on to deploy to Afghanistan with the SAS, leave the Army as a captain, and enter federal Parliament.
He eventually became a prominent political voice on defence and intelligence matters.
Roberts-Smith, meanwhile, became the central figure in some of the most consequential legal battles in modern Australian military history.
After launching defamation proceedings against Nine newspapers over published allegations concerning his conduct in Afghanistan—proceedings in which Hastie gave evidence—the Federal Court ultimately found the serious allegations to be substantially true.
Roberts-Smith has consistently denied participating in unlawful killings.
Background and Context of the Selection Process
Hastie has previously written about the brutal nature of the 2010 selection course, describing nights of punishing exercises and demanding conditions designed to test resilience under extreme duress.
He has never publicly characterized the training as a personal vendetta by Roberts-Smith, focusing instead on the immense physical and mental challenges required to pass.
Russell has suggested that despite Roberts-Smith’s alleged recommendation, the SAS chose to accept Hastie because the unit was experiencing officer recruitment difficulties and recognized his leadership potential.
However, this explanation remains part of Russell’s personal account rather than official military record.
What Different Sides Are Saying
The latest claims have drawn varied reactions, though key figures have remained cautious.
Russell maintains that a lasting and intense rivalry developed between the two men following their early encounters in the special forces.
Conversely, legal and public figures emphasize the importance of distinguishing between historical anecdotes and verified facts.
Hastie has previously stressed the need for caution and adherence to due process when discussing matters involving military justice and former comrades.
Furthermore, legal experts note that there is no evidence to suggest Hastie’s later testimony in the federal defamation proceedings was influenced by the alleged 2010 selection recommendation.
What Happens Next
As the scrutiny surrounding Australia’s special forces community persists, Roberts-Smith faces ongoing legal challenges related to his service in Afghanistan, where he has been charged with five counts of war crime–murder and denies all unlawful killings.
Whether Russell’s account of the 2010 selection course will have any bearing on public understanding of the two men remains uncertain.
What is clear, however, is that the intersecting paths of Roberts-Smith and Hastie continue to reflect the deep complexities and institutional pressures within Australia’s military history.
How do you think intense military selection pressures shape relationships among soldiers who later enter public life?
