It cannot be emphasised enough the respect with which CHIRP is held amongst UK Professional Pilots. Obviously, I cannot speak for the other branches that it represents ( ATC, Cabin Crew, Ground Engineers, Marine) but from our perspective it is invaluable to have a TOTALLY confidential reporting process that will accurately reflect your concerns back to all parties concerned with importantly an impeccable degree of credibility earned in the field.
CHIRP is, and should be both the envy and the goal of every major aviating power in the World to adopt, enforce, encourage and utilise. That Australian aviation had and subsequently lost a similar system is reprehensible, and is something that should be addressed as soon as humanly possible, and those responsible for its demise are not worthy of holding senior positions in a regulatory authority; one has to ask why? Why would you remove a moderated, confidential and proven reporting system.... unless.... well, maybe it isn't my remit to ask from my 10,000 mile removed position exactly why that may happen, but it did.
It must be replaced. It is as simple as that. Aviation is a global game, and the goal should be that eventually every country should be able to share safety-related information freely at both an official, Investigation Board level, but also and perhaps more importantly at a free, confidential, primary level.
Australia has taken a step backward. How is this to be reversed and advanced?