About what you would expect from an inquiry on short notice and only 3 days for hearings. Only 3 recommendations but many "you may need to look at''s.
1. Appoint a board - some merit, but depends on the quality. What we don't want is Labour hacks appointed for reward for services rendered.
2. Review funding - more costs to the industry on the user pays principle? to support a massive bureaucracy and enhance the lifestyle of the ineffective?.
3. Regulatory Reform Program to be pushed through - open slather to put up the same flawed and over prescriptive rules that the industry objected to, but CASA seem unable to acknowledge, but then again the Legislative Drafting is a lot of the problem
4. Audit by the National Audit office of CASA's SMS - a bureaurcratic response to a complete stuffup - 'Yes Minister' stuff.
The focus on the NQ CASA office is interesting, although CASA seems to think they've solved the problem already. There should be some restriction on appointing FOI's. AWI's and Area Managers to areas where they had previously been involved in the industry.
The potential for conflict of interest and pushing personal agendas' was not acknowledged by the committee, although strongly suggested in many of the submissions by those who were game enough to speak up i.e. those not subject to CASA oversight. Most disappointing.