Absent from the opening of the Australian War Memorial’s newly renovated $550 million extension on Tuesday night was Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith, sparking speculation over the reasons behind his last-minute withdrawal. Despite his lawyer’s assertion that Roberts-Smith was unwell, insiders in Canberra expressed skepticism about the illness claim, suggesting other factors may have influenced his decision not to attend.

The event, described by the War Memorial’s chairman Kim Beazley as the unveiling of “our most sacred site,” saw a broad range of government officials and politicians present, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Defence Minister Richard Marles, Foreign Minister Penny Wong, as well as opposition figures such as Liberal leader Angus Taylor, defence spokesman James Paterson, and former soldier Andrew Hastie. None of these attendees were believed to have played a role in Roberts-Smith’s sudden absence.

Observers familiar with the circumstances speculated that an individual close to Roberts-Smith, someone with a deep commitment to the War Memorial, may have advised him against attending to avoid overshadowing the event. This theory points away from senior politicians and rival attendees, including Pauline Hanson of One Nation, who reportedly learned of Roberts-Smith’s cancellation only en route from Parliament House. Hanson and her party appeared to be anticipating significant media attention around Roberts-Smith’s presence, given her recent vocal support for the decorated soldier amid ongoing legal challenges.

Among notable figures at the ceremony was billionaire Kerry Stokes, former chairman of the War Memorial and a long-time supporter of both the building’s expansion and Roberts-Smith’s legal defence. Attempts to question Stokes about Roberts-Smith’s absence were unsuccessful, as media personnel were redirected away from the VIP area shortly after approaching him. Consequently, the precise reasons for Roberts-Smith’s absence remain unclear.

Separately, the article also noted a discussion unrelated to the War Memorial event concerning the federal government’s capital gains tax (CGT) reforms affecting start-ups. Tim Doyle, founder of the weight loss company Eucalyptus, which was sold for over $1.6 billion earlier this year, defended Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ proposals in a co-authored opinion piece. Doyle criticized fellow founders opposing the reforms, suggesting their objections stemmed from self-interest rather than genuine hardship. He argued that the reforms, including a $10 million cap on a 50 percent CGT discount for eligible start-ups, were designed to protect employees rather than highly successful founders, indicating the dissent mostly affected the most financially successful entrepreneurs. Doyle was notably the only start-up founder granted expedited participation in the government’s Senate inquiry into the tax changes.