Assistant defence minister Andrew Hastie tells court Ben Roberts-Smith was seen as a bully in SAS

Hastie, giving evidence in defamation trial, also claims Roberts-Smith's reported version of Afghanistan mission was an alternate universe'

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The assistant defence minister, former SAS officer Andrew Hastie, has told a court there was a widespread view" within the SAS that Ben Roberts-Smith was a bully towards his comrades.

The minister told the federal court on Thursday that Roberts-Smith's reported version of a mission they both served on in Afghanistan was an alternate universe" to what he observed.

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