I think the delay is scandalous. I think it reveals that the ATSB has no real interest in improving safety. I think it is a demonstration of a number of areas of the public service where (for whatever reason) the government departments are simply not doing what we are paying them to do.
I made a post asking about the delay in the report of the Angel Flight Cherokee near Horsham (15 months and counting). In response someone suggested that the reason was the beating the ATSB are getting in a senate committee over the Pel-Air report.
If you scroll there the released reports of the last 3 or 6 months, I think 3 things are apparent:
1. Reports seem to be released in groups only once or twice a month, usually most reports come out in the last days of the month. I wonder if they sit on someone's desk for approval?
2. The list of incomplete or pending reports is growing. They are not keeping up with the workload.
3. Most reports that are being released are minor in nature. There doesn't seem to be any reports of substance that might contain lessons that have been released in ages - maybe even since Norfolk Island.
I don't know what happened to the credo of "frank and fearless advice".