Mother’s brave

CHILDREN are eligible to become Australian Defence Force Cadets from the age of 13.

They may dress in uniform and engage in military-like experiences — but the young recruits are still children.

Eleanore Tibble joined the Air Force Cadets as a 13-year-old, full of fresh-faced enthusiasm.

“She loved cadets, she was passionate about it,” recalls her mum, Susan Campbell.

But the teenager took her own life at the age of 15, believing she was about to be dishonourably discharged.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse released its findings into the Australian Defence Force on Tuesday.

A significant portion of the findings are based on the cadets and, in particular, the treatment of Eleanore Tibble.

Initially, Eleanore thrived in the Tasmanian cadet squadron and by the age of 15 was promoted to a Cadet Sergeant.

But then a 30-year-old flight instructor formed a relationship with the girl.

According to the royal commission findings, the relationship with cadet force leader Matthew Harper appeared innocent at first.

“Ms Campbell initially saw Mr Harper as a mentor or older-brother figure for Cadet Sergeant Tibble and did not think that there was anything inappropriate about their relationship,” the findings say.

But in August 2000, Eleanor told her mum that “Mr Harper had given her a silver necklace and told her that he loved her”.

“Ms Campbell formed the view that Mr Harper’s intentions were improper. She made it known to him that any relationship with her daughter was ‘inappropriate and out of the question’,” the commission found. On 15 August 2000, Mr Harper offered a letter of resignation stating that he had “failed in my obligations as an instructor” by becoming involved with a female cadet.

The resignation letter did not identify the cadet, but Mr Harper’s superiors formed the opinion that the relationship had been sexual and the cadet involved was under-age.

Rather than go to police with their concerns, the superiors determined to identify the cadet and discharge her for breach of policy.

Eleanore was interviewed about the relationship without the knowledge of her mother.

The commission found the meeting was “improper” and caused “considerable distress” to the girl. Eleanore was told she could either resign or be dishonourably discharged.

“The commission finds [Cadet] Tibble was denied natural justice in this process, when she should not have been the subject of disciplinary proceedings in any event.”

By November 10, senior management in Canberra found the relationship was not sexual and the discharge could not be supported.

But the direction to reinstate the young cadet was not conveyed to the girl, who took her own life on November 27.

The royal commission found that Eleanore was a “child victim of the advances of an older instructor”.

“At no time should blame be placed on a cadet when an adult instructor or officer engages in a relationship with the cadet,” the findings say.

The commissioners found that “the AAFC was more concerned with the ‘efficiency’ of the flight unit and setting an example to other cadets than with the protection of cadets from adult instructors in positions of authority.”

The findings emphasise that Eleanore was a victim, and a child.