‘Real difficulties’ in moving Roberts-Smith defamation trial interstate: judge We’re sorry, this service is currently unavailable. Please try again later. Dismiss Normal text size Advertisement The judge presiding over war veteran Ben Roberts-Smith’s defamation trial says there are significant obstacles to moving the case interstate to avoid a worsening COVID-19 outbreak in NSW but he has not yet ruled it out. Mr Roberts-Smith’s barrister, Bruce McClintock, SC, has previously asked the Federal Court to consider relocating the trial against The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald to a venue outside NSW, pointing to Adelaide and Canberra as potential alternatives.