Decorated former SAS soldier Ben Roberts-Smith has helped celebrate the opening of another housing complex for homeless Australian veterans, as mining billionaire Gina Rinehart continues her ambitious $200 million mission to put a roof over the heads of former servicemen and women doing it tough.
The Victoria Cross recipient was among the prominent guests at the opening of the Len Waters Apartments in Brisbane on Sunday, October 18, marking another milestone in an initiative designed to tackle veteran homelessness across Australia.
The new accommodation is named in honour of Len Waters, Australia’s first Indigenous military aviator, who served in the Royal Australian Air Force during World War II.
Roberts-Smith, one of Australia’s most decorated former soldiers, played a prominent role in the ceremony, with Rinehart inviting guests to applaud him as she began her address.
“Thank you Ben,” she said. “Please join me in applause for our brave patriotic Victoria Cross winner, Ben Roberts-Smith VC.”
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson was also among the prominent guests at the ceremony, where she was welcomed by Rinehart and invited to address the gathering.
The event followed the opening of another Brisbane complex named after fellow Victoria Cross recipient Daniel Keighran, with both projects forming part of Rinehart’s growing commitment to provide safe accommodation for veterans experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.
The scale of the problem is considerable, with research estimating that thousands of Australian veterans experience homelessness each year.
Rinehart has pledged $200 million towards addressing the crisis, arguing that Australians who have served their country should never find themselves without somewhere safe to sleep.
Speaking at the latest opening, she criticised what she sees as a lack of practical government support for veterans struggling to rebuild their lives after military service.
She questioned why unused Defence accommodation could not be made available to former servicemen and women, while also raising concerns about pension rules that can discourage veterans from returning to work.
For Rinehart, the issue is deeply personal.
She recalled how her father, Lang Hancock, provided a rent-free home for her uncle after his lengthy military career, allowing him to enjoy stability, family life and meaningful work.
It was an example, she suggested, of the difference a secure home and ongoing purpose can make to someone adjusting to life after military service.
The new Len Waters Apartments will provide accommodation for veterans in need, while also paying tribute to a pioneering Australian whose wartime service helped break barriers.
Waters flew combat missions during World War II, and his daughters were among the guests welcomed to the ceremony.
The initiative has also attracted support from Roberts-Smith, who has previously praised Rinehart’s willingness to address the housing crisis facing former defence personnel.
At the opening of the Daniel Keighran VC Apartments earlier this month, Roberts-Smith described it as a “sad indictment” on government that a private citizen had been left to help fill the gap in veteran housing.
Roberts-Smith remains a controversial figure. He is facing five charges of war crime murder relating to his service in Afghanistan, allegations he has consistently denied. A Federal Court judge previously found that several war crimes allegations against him had been substantially proven in civil defamation proceedings. The criminal charges remain subject to the courts.
Rinehart has remained a vocal supporter of the former soldier, previously naming a veterans’ housing complex in Perth after him.
But beyond the prominent names and public debate, the latest opening represents something much more immediate for the veterans who will call the apartments home.
For those who have struggled with homelessness, financial hardship or the difficult transition to civilian life, a safe and secure place to live can be the first step towards rebuilding their future.
And with Rinehart’s $200 million commitment continuing to take shape, more Australian veterans could soon have the opportunity to do just that.
