Ms Spence’s performances in front of the Committee remind me of the cringe-worthy performances of Ms Staib (ex CEO of Air Services) in front of the same Committee. Lowlights include
20 October 2014 (fast-forward to 22:05) and
28 November 2014.
But there the similarities end. Ms Staib came from a background of mutual trust and teamwork, and wasn’t used to being surrounded by rats. Once she realised what she’d gotten herself into, she bailed out. Ms Spence, on the other hand (and as tossbag has observed), is very used to the environment.
AOTW: Alas, it’s mostly pantomime. CASA doesn’t care how much these Senators huff and puff. No amount of huffing and puffing will blow the CASA house down.
The monster is a creation of the Parliament through legislation either made by the Parliament or not disallowed by the Parliament. Unless and until the Parliament changes that legislation, the monster will continue on its merry way. CASA knows that the major parties are too scared to make the religion of the safety of air navigation an issue to differentiate them in the minds of voters. As the shadow Minister (laughably) said: “There’s no margin of error in aviation.”
And no one should be surprised at the ‘safety’ standard being writ large in the example of the fire-fighting aircraft. CASA doesn’t know the design standard and ICA for e.g. Blackhawk helicopters, therefore CASA isn’t ‘satisfied’ and therefore CASA will sit with its arms folded until someone (at their expense) ‘satisfies’ CASA. Doesn’t matter how many towns and fire fighters are immolated on the ground in the interim. That’s someone else’s problem.