It was announced the other day that Mike Taylor, the Secretary of the Department of Transport has been re-appointed for a further 5 years.
Given that he presided over casa for most of Byron's terms and clearly agreed with his direction and philosophy, it says little about the Government's credibility on aviation safety. It also points to a whitewash of CASA in the Senate report - because if CASA is found wanting that can only mean that Taylor must also be wanting because he did nothing to stop the rot in CASA and agreed with the partnership policy espoused by Byron as well as the virtual dismantlinmg of CASA and handing over responsibility to the industry that CASA was meant to regulate - as well as his failure to manage the reg reform program. It would be inapproaite for the Government to appoint him for a further 5 years if the Senate found all these failings in Taylor. So inevitably it will be a useless report.