Andrew Hastie challenges Pauline Hanson over war crimes law changes
Liberal MP Andrew Hastie says Pauline Hanson must explain why she opposes the 2024 war crimes law changes. These changes align with international standards.
Hastie is a former special forces veteran. He is responding to Hanson's challenge asking whether he backed changes to make veteran prosecutions easier.
The 2024 amendments aligned battlefield conduct with the Geneva Code, protecting captured or wounded soldiers. They passed on a voice vote, leaving no written record.
The law has been used to prosecute war crimes cases, including against Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith. He denies all allegations.
Australian soldiers do not execute prisoners.
- 2024
- Amendments year
- Voice vote (no written record)
- Vote type
- Geneva Code
- International standard
Why it mattersThis clash shows a deep disagreement between major parties. One issue is how Australia should treat soldiers in combat. Another is whether past actions should face legal scrutiny.
AustraliaThis debate directly affects Australian military personnel and future prosecutions under domestic war crimes law, as well as the nation's standing under international humanitarian law.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 12 d ago
