From Mr. Walshs paper:
To prevent conflicts of interest, the Air Safety Investigation Branch reported directly to the Director General of Civil Aviation, rather than through the departmental chain of command. In practice, however, this arrangement could not always completely refute perceptions that the Department was ‘investigating itself’. This was particularly so where one branch within the Department came under scrutiny for its part in the development of an accident or an air safety incident.
The formation of the Bureau of Air Safety Investigation (BASI), in May 1982, as an operationally independent entity linked to the Commonwealth Department of Aviation reporting directly to the Minister of Aviation and operationally entirely separate from the regulatory functions of the Department, was a major change in the way air safety investigation and, particularly air accident investigations were conducted and administered. It is interesting to note that with the creation of BASI, there was in one sense a return to the situation that existed prior to 1938. The separation between air investigator and regulator was furthered with the creation of the separate regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority in 1988.
....And now you have precisely the same rotten situation of " collaboration" between CASA and ATSB that stinks to high heaven again thanks to the Minister and his Department Secretary!!!! CASA and ATSB MUST be at arms length for the sake of safety. The Pel Air accident demonstrates why.