Glen, unfortunately it’s not about CASA. The best way to describe CASA is that they are a ‘front’. It’s about the Government at the highest levels. The only reasonably high level person in CASA is Carmody, and even he has his wings clipped to a degree. The rest of the managers - Martin, that numpty Crawford and many before him along with other regional managers and the Board are minions when placed in the pecking order besides the Infrastructure Secretary, the Minister and the PMC. The Government, and numerous ones before it, are the ones who empower CASA and give it the finances, muscle, protection, authority and power to do as it pleases. Politicians are dumb, and there main concern is about where the next vote, campaign donation or taxpayer funded freebie is coming from. They are bamboozled by CASA spin doctors and frightened into submission. Any one of them that does have a brain, raises a poignant question or sniffs out a scent is quickly scared back into the protective cocoon of their Canberra cave.
You can’t beat them on a level playing field, with an honest fight. To be honest, you simply can’t win. But you can play by your own ruleset. Your need good solid evidence on any CASA malfeasance or shenanigans that you can find and dump it everywhere in the media, and make sure the media understand it is a matter for the Minister to address CASA as he/she is the top of the food chain. Ministers and top Bureaucrats don’t like spotlights on them. Watch them scurry.