Ombudsman Reference 2019-713834
The precursor to this correspondence is a follow up to my letter on page 73 post#1443
Dear Mark of the Commonwealth Ombudsman’s office.
Regarding my allegations that some CASA personnel acted unlawfully and that their actions lead to the closure of my two businesses. There were three core “topics”.
- The overnight reversal of APTAs approval by CASA, and determination by CASA that it would no longer be permitted.
- The declaration by CASA that my flying school of more than a decade, Melbourne Flight Training was suddenly declared an “unauthorised operation” and forced into closure. Despite multiple requests, CASA will provide no explanation for this, and I continue to seek one.
- The direction by CASA to my Employer that my continuing employment in the industry was “no longer tenable based on comments I was making publicly” leading to my departure from the industry after 25 years.
In this correspondence, I am seeking some clarification prior to potentially requesting a review of my case. I appreciate that you have finalised the APTA matter, but this correspondence relates to the third topic, being the direction by a CASA Employee to my Employer that my “
continuing employment was no longer tenable based on comments that I was making publicly”.
I am very much of the opinion that in fact no comments were made publicly by me that would compel a CASA employee to direct that my continuing employment was no longer tenable, and that in fact the direction was vindictive and vexatious. It had no basis in aviation regulations, and no basis on aviation safety.
This particular topic is important because I am claiming that in fact, this entire matter was not based on safety or regulatory matters but was in fact an “engineered” process from within the CASA Executive.
I have made an allegation of misfeasance in public office against three members of the CASA Executive before the Senate Standing Committees General Aviation Inquiry in November 2020.
During the previous 18 months prior to formally raising those allegations in Parliament, I had written to the Leader of the Nationals and Deputy PM at the time, the Honourable Mr Michael McCormack on numerous occasions, and did so again immediately after I appeared in Parliament. None of that correspondence was ever acknowledged or responded to by his Office.
I am fully satisfied that his Office is avoiding this topic, and by him choosing not to respond, I am more dependent on your findings in order to approach my Local Member of Parliament Ms Gladys Liu for assistance.
To the point of this correspondence.
- I have previously received your report on the direction by a CASA employee that my continuing employment was untenable. Are you able to confirm if there is a final report coming, or is that matter also closed, and that report is the final report?
- I was hoping that the Ombudsman’s Office could direct me to the particular comment or comments that I made that compelled CASA to write to my Employer and make that direction that my continuing employment was no longer tenable, and my assumption is that identifying the comment or comments that I made, and where they were made, would have been a central theme to the investigation, and be integral to a determination of appropriateness and proportionality of the CASA action. Therefore, can I be informed of what the comment/s were, and in what forum were they made.
- Was there any update regarding CASA publishing an apology?
Thank you for your consideration, respectfully,
Glen Buckley