TAS: Mother gives emotional evidence at Senate inquiry

AAP General News (Australia)
04-21-2004
TAS: Mother gives emotional evidence at Senate inquiry

A Tasmanian woman has choked back tears as she told an inquiry about the disappearance
of her only son at sea nearly two years ago.

JOAN GURR was one of two grieving mothers to give evidence before the Senate inquiry
into the effectiveness of Australia's military justice system.

Her son, Leading Seaman CAMERON GURR, was two months shy of his 21st birthday when
he was lost overboard from HMAS Darwin off Christmas Island in May 2002.

On the night he vanished, he'd been drinking with mates after being promoted.

A subsequent naval board of inquiry was told of illicit drinking sessions aboard the
ship, with seven members of the Darwin crew punished as a result.

Mrs GURR has told inquiry she believes the naval probe focused more on broken rules
and punishment than what happened to her son.

The inquiry has also heard from SUSAN CAMPBELL, whose 15-year-old daughter ELEANORE
TIBBLE killed herself in November 2000.

AAP RTV las/jo/rp

KEYWORD: MILITARY (HOBART)

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