Give academy girl support, urges Kate Ellis

STATUS of Women Minister Kate Ellis has called on military officials to ensure the female cadet in  the webcam sex claims is supported.

STATUS of Women Minister Kate Ellis has weighed into the sex scandal engulfing the defence force, calling on military officials to ensure the woman at the centre of the claims is given full support.

Ms Ellis told The Weekend Australian yesterday the allegations involving the Australian Defence Force Academy were "extremely distressing" and "an extreme abuse of trust".

The minister was one of many senior political figures to comment on the case in which an 18-year-old female air force cadet was unknowingly filmed having sex with a male classmate who broadcast it live to six cadet colleagues.

The woman was this week called before an ADFA hearing where she pleaded guilty to unrelated charges of being absent without leave and drinking.

A war of words between Defence Minister Steven Smith and the defence force has since broken out after he said command was "insensitive or completely stupid" for hauling the distressed cadet before a disciplinary tribunal.

He has also refused to support ADFA commandant Bruce Kafer over his handling of the scandal.

Yesterday, Ms Ellis said all defence force personnel deserved to be treated with respect.

"This is an extreme abuse of trust and at this time, the priority must be ensuring that this

young woman is given the support that she needs," Ms Ellis said.

Health Minister Nicola Roxon said she was shocked at the allegations raised by the cadet, saying they made her physically ill.

Former Liberal defence minister Peter Reith strongly endorsed Mr Smith's handling of the matter, saying there was no reason for the minister to express his confidence in Commodore Kafer.

"Well quite frankly, why should he?" Mr Reith said. "The fact is it's just gone on for far too long. I don't know whether Stephen Smith is going to fix it this time around, but I sure hope he does and certainly ought to be supported."

But Liberal senator Nick Minchin, whose son attended the ADFA, criticised Mr Smith, saying he should have stuck by the commandant. "I think it is so wrong for the Minister for Defence to hang out to dry the commandant of ADFA," he said.

Opposition defence personnel spokesman Stuart Robert agreed, saying Mr Smith had wrongly publicly "lambasted" the military command. "He has to back his key staff and that is what has caused the rift," Mr Robert said.

The Australian Federal Police is investigating the matter.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott also commented on the scandal yesterday, saying he believed there was a "difficult culture" in some defence institutions.

"That culture has got to change. And I think it's time that the minister got on top of his department and did more to change this culture," he said.