Category: Heston Russell

Australia Offers $50,000 Bonus To Stem Defence Personnel Turnover

May 2, 2023
AustraliaAustralian Defence ForceChinaChina-Australia RelationsHeston RussellInternationalInternational RelationsWorld
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Australian soldiers and staff will be offered a $50,000 (US$33,170) bonus payment as part of a wider effort to stem the ongoing loss of personnel in the country’s defence force. Attrition or the rate of personnel leaving the Australian Defence Force (ADF), hovers at around 10 percent each year, which equates to 5,000-6,000 individuals. The…

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Marketing Over Policy: Former Special Forces Steps Down From Politics Citing Poor State of Discourse

January 12, 2023
AustraliaElection IntegrityelectionsFeatured TopicsHeston RussellInternationalUSWorld
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Former special forces operative Heston Russell is stepping down as leader of the Australian Values Party citing the oversimplification of political debate in the country. The Australian Values Party ran candidates (many with military backgrounds) in the May 2022 federal election, as well as the recent Victorian state election where the party did not manage…

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Former Special Forces Sues Australian Public Broadcaster Over War Crime Allegations

September 12, 2022
AfghanistanAustraliaAustralian Broadcasting CorporationBusiness & MarketsCompaniesHeston RussellInternationalMedia & Big Techwar crimesWorld
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Former special forces operative Heston Russell has filed a lawsuit against the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and journalists—Joshua Robertson and Mark Willacy—over articles alleging he was involved in committing war crimes while on deployment in Afghanistan. In a statement of claim filed with the Federal Court of Australia, Russell’s lawyers pointed to a November article…

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No More Reviews: Veteran Affairs Advocate Says Defence Force Needs Overhaul

August 12, 2022
AustraliaAustralian Defence ForceAustralian veteransChinaChina-Australia RelationsHeston RussellInternationalInternational RelationsRichard MarlesWorld
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It was customary for soldiers of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to “break in” their standard combat boots. “There were not many people who actually had to carry packs and equipment long distances who didn’t have to bash these boots in to make sure they didn’t hurt their feet,” said Heston Russell, a former special…

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Veteran Homelessness, Suicide Ongoing Problems in Australia: Commission Hears

August 3, 2022
AustraliaAustralian veteransHeston RussellInternationalWorld
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Australia is examining its handling of veteran affairs and is questioning senior public servants over issues such as suicide and support. Currently, the Royal Commission on Defence and Veteran Suicide is holding hearings in Tasmania for seven days—home to the most veterans per capita of any jurisdiction in Australia, with over 17,500 veterans. Kate Pope,…

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Society Losing Its Values, Becoming More Self-Centered, Pleasure-Driven: Veteran

June 27, 2022
army veteranatomised societyAustraliaBrightHeston RussellInspiredInternationalLife & TraditionTanveer Ahmedtraditional valuesWorld
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A veteran affairs advocate says Australian society is no longer driven by values, and instead has become focused on self-interest, profit, and pleasure. Heston Russell, himself a former special forces operative who has embarked on over 200 missions, says Australian servicemen and women are often confronted with a culture shock when they leave the armed…

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Don’t Go ‘Pound for Pound’ Against Beijing in the Pacific, Win the Grassroots Battle: Former Special Ops

June 1, 2022
Asia & PacificAustraliaChinaChina-Australia Relationsclimate changeCold Warcorruptionelite capturegeopoliticsHeston RussellInternationalInternational RelationsmilitarySolomon IslandsSouth PacificUSUS NewsUS-ChinaUS-China relationsWang YiWorld
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Australia, the United States, and democratic allies should avoid engaging in a “bidding war” with Beijing to win the battle for influence over Pacific leaders, instead, the focus should be on grassroots efforts to build stronger connections with generations of communities, according to a former special forces officer. Heston Russell, who also spent years working…

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Career Politicians Putting Self-Interest Ahead of National Security: Veteran

May 12, 2022
Asia & PacificAustraliaAustralian Defence ForceAustralian Values PartyChinaChina-Australia RelationsHeston RussellInternationalInternational RelationsSouth PacificWorld
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Australian soldiers dispatched to the Solomon Islands last year after violent riots razed parts of the capital Honiara to the ground admitted to Heston Russell, a former special force operative, that they were “providing security for the Chinese.” “They said to me, ‘We didn’t know what we were doing there because the people of the…

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