The defence minister is being accused of throwing lower ranked army officers ‘under the bus’ with his decision to strip medals over alleged murders in Afghanistan. Richard Marles is standing by the move and today hit out at anti-war protesters again trying to disrupt an international weapons expo in Melbourne.
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00:00An anti-war protester cements her arm to a car and blocks the entrance to Melbourne's
00:08Kingsway Bridge.
00:13Police eventually chisel her free.
00:17One of several activists still trying to disrupt a weapons fair where the Defence Minister
00:22was today the VIP guest.
00:25If decisions require leadership, that's what I've done as the Minister for Defence.
00:30Attending the International Land Forces Expo, Richard Miles defends his decision this week
00:38to strip several army officers of medals for alleged Afghanistan war crimes that occurred
00:44under their command.
00:46The former Defence Minister turned opposition leader also attacking the timing of the long
00:51awaited announcement so soon after the Veteran Suicide Royal Commission.
00:56Whenever we were doing it, it was going to be a difficult moment.
01:00With the three day weapons convention now finished, the government has taken aim at
01:05those who've used violence in the protests outside, describing their actions as utterly
01:12unacceptable.
01:14Today anti-war activists were joined by a Green Senator.
01:18I'd say to Richard Miles, have the courage and come out and speak to the people who vote
01:22for you, not the multinationals who you want a job from when you leave politics.
01:26This year we have watched the Greens throw their lot in with thuggery time and time again.
01:32And he insists those in the weapons trade are actually keeping every Australian safe.