Hansard 22/03/2021 Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee - Senate Estimates (my bolding!)
Chair: Senator Susan McDonald (Qld) Mr Harfield (CEO Airservices)
CHAIR: Just to mix it up a little bit, I might start. I won't be long. I just have a couple of questions on the changes to the class E airspace, particularly around Townsville, though, of course, this applies more broadly around the country. Can you talk me through the basis on which that decision was made?
Mr Harfield : No decision has been made yet. What we put out for consultation earlier this year was as a result of what we're seeing in the airspace as an arrangement of managing the day-to-day risk. Last year we saw a number of accidents in that type of airspace, which is currently what we would call class G airspace.
CHAIR: Specifically whereabouts?
Mr Harfield : There was an accident at Mangalore—a midair collision—in February last year. And, as well, we've seen the change in traffic profile as a result of COVID. We've seen the airspace up and down the east coast of Australia which is currently class G become busier than what it once was. To take an example, Ballina airport is now 50 per cent higher in traffic than it was pre-COVID. That changing risk type got us to looking at how we can enhance the services that we provide to better protect all of the airspace users. Earlier this year we put out a proposal to lower class E airspace up and down what we call the J curve, which ostensibly is the east coast. We put that out for consultation. During that time, we got over a thousand pieces of feedback. We've taken those on board and retuned the proposal, and last week we went out again for further consultation on the revised proposal to industry. We will do that over the next four to five weeks. After that consultation, we'll take the feedback on board and see what the proposal will be, before we submit it to CASA for approval.
CHAIR: What is the revised proposal?
Mr Harfield : The revised proposal is lowering class E, but, instead of down to above ground level, it's above mean sea level. I can refer you to a website, which we can provide on notice, which has all the details of the revisions as well as the changes, in tracking the consultation that we received and how we've addressed that consultation.
CHAIR: I've had a significant amount of contact around this—not positive—so I'll look forward to a demonstration of how this is going to maintain activity, particularly in general aviation, and what is the demonstrated safety case, because there was also another case—anyway, I have committed to not holding things up for too long. I am very interested in this topic, and I hope you'll include me in your advice as to when you are prepared to go to CASA.
Mr Harfield : Absolutely. I will admit that, as a result of the way we initially positioned some of our wording, some of the feedback that we got did give the impression a decision had been made when that was not the intention at all. That's why we are going through the process of making sure we have taken on board over 1,000 pieces of feedback. We're now back out again, and we'll make sure you see that. After that consultation, when we get to where we want to finalise it, we will put that out for comment as well.
https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo...b98c%2F0000%22
So no decision on either Plan A or Plan B makes me wonder just what their real plan is? Still no safety case?
They have now run out of time for the proposed December implementation.