Former military lawyer David McBride is set to stand trial in November, four years and eight months after being charged with leaking classified Australian defence information to journalists. McBride is accused of disclosing information that formed the basis of “The Afghan Files,” an exposé on alleged misconduct by Australian special forces in Afghanistan. The trial date has raised concerns about the availability of witnesses and legal counsel, while calls to end the prosecution and reform whistleblowing laws continue.

Ben Roberts-Smith, a highly decorated soldier, is at the center of a high-profile defamation case in Australia, accused of war crimes. The trial, the first of its kind in the country, has significant legal and cultural implications.