A phone call with the Ombudsman
An update from the Ombudsman’s Office today via a 30 minute telephone call.
To cut straight to the chase it was grim. After 3 years of investigating, the Ombudsman’s Office is unable to investigate allegations against an individual, such as an allegation against a CASA employee, and that needs to be directed to the CASA Industry Complaints Commissioner. The Ombudsman Office has accepted CASAs view that not “everyone in CASA was aware of APTAs concept. This is despite the emails from 2 ˝ years prior to that that date I had emails with CASA pitching the concept to them. Then what followed was an investment of hundreds of thousands of dollars in systems and personnel, to be fully approved by CASA in April 2017, then have CASA formally approve bases under it. We then underwent an audit and no concerns are raised, then CASA found about it and shut it all down.
All this without a supporting safety case. To those on here and in the industry you will appreciate that “not everyone knew about it”, doesn’t really cut it. They advised that they cant to anything with regard to "practical outcomes .Anyway, rant over.
I jumped into my car to go and feed a mates goldfish while he heads off to an Elvis festival interstate. To be honest I sat in the car having a bit of a sulk before turning the key.
Then the phone rings. It’s the Office of the Deputy PM, and someone very senior. They were aware of the leaflets I was distributing. Let anything let me say that what followed was the most encouraging conversation I have had in over three years. Whilst I don’t want to pre-empt anything, I do believe that Office will “get to the bottom of it”, and that the Deputy PM would be involved. It was extremely encouraging.
It left me feeling so good, I gave the Goldfish an extra pinch of flakes.
The dilemma I have now. Do I ramp up my matter in the local electorate by getting down to railway stations etc, or do I back off and give the Deputy PMs Office a week to digest it, and get back to me.
Ive been too nice today, I already gave the fish extra food, I reckon I keep going.