HLB # 615 - One interesting and valid comment he made was that they don't investigate GA accidents so much any more because it's the same accident over and over again. Valid in many cases, but again in the Hempel accident there might have been some CASA-stink mightn't there?
It's a high risk strategy though; should the QPS unearth any form of illegal activity associated with the Hempel matter, all bets are off. There is no surety that the Coroner will not demand to know why Hempel was a protected species and call for a full investigation into CASA officer 'involvement' with the accident. If the wheel comes off (again) the ATSB will, once more be tarred with the same brush and Dolan cannot survive a second onslaught. Hempel like Canley Vale and Lockhart will not 'go quietly into the night'. Seems Norfolk is only the start of his troubles with the end nowhere in sight.
Mr. Dolan appears to be a competent administrator and as a career public servant does a good job watching the pennies (thankyou) by meeting the minister's budgets and directives. I would not like to see him take the Pratt fall for the Norfolk debacle. Perhaps he was just 'young and naive' or somehow persuaded that the CASA dictated script would lead to a satisfactory outcome.
Either way, the ATSB report shows a gross error of judgement, a breach of faith and an insult to industry. Remember; this is no longer about some dopey pilot running out of noise: it's a story of cover up, misdirection, selective application of regulation, blatant manipulation of facts, where corruption raises it's ugly head and the systemic failure of the regulator, once again is now in public view.
To give the ATSB credibility, Dolan must now either abandon his minister and CASA and tell the truth, or take one for the company. No: although a possible scenario is that Dolan will take a 'soft fall' and be rewarded with a promotion in later days. His problem then is the ticking election clock and there are no guarantees that a new minister will appreciate his efforts; but, no doubt the full time bureaucrats will. It now becomes a matter of conscience, though thankfully, not mine.
PS – Jinglie – they wouldn't dare.