Below is a reminder of what Mr Truss has said he will do. (my bolding/comments added). I should add Mr Truss that the IOS are watching closely.
THE federal Coalition plans to bring in a prominent member of the international aviation community to conduct an external review of aviation safety and regulations similar to the Wheeler inquiry into aviation security.
Mr Truss, we look forward to the appointment of this person.
It will announce the move today as part of its aviation policy that foreshadows a potential restructure of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and a strengthening of the CASA board by increasing the number of members from four to six.
Again, we look forward to thses changes. The current board however should remain at 4 people, but 4 new board members, all with aviation experience. Bureaucrats need not apply. A complete removal of the ATSBeaker's 3 Commissioners is also needed, with a replacement of them with aviation experienced people.
It is also promising a formal aviation industry consultative council that would meet regularly with the transport minister to address matters of concern to the wider industry, and an industry complaints commissioner to investigate grievances about the regulator or its operatives "in a reasonable time".
A new ISS Commissioner and a restructure is needed.
The external safety and regulation review comes after recent adverse findings by the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee and after industry feedback that safety regulations were being inappropriately applied and were too bureaucratic.
"We've had such feedback from the industry about the regulatory process and the operations of CASA, it simply has to be addressed," opposition transport spokesman Warren Truss told The Australian.
"We've also got the inevitable and ongoing differences of opinion in the sector about how everything should be done and I thought the Wheeler Review was actually a very useful exercise in dealing with aviation security.
"Not all the recommendations were perfect, but it acted as a circuit breaker and his report has effectively underpinned all that we've done on aviation security since."
Mr Truss said he thought it highly unlikely there would be a consensus on the best way to proceed with the regulatory system.
"I'm hopeful that we will be able to get a decisive breakthrough as we did with Wheeler," he said, noting the opposition did not have a particular candidate in mind but that it would be someone whose views and work would be respected.
He said a Coalition government would not proceed with changes until the review was completed. He said he would like to have it completed so that key decisions could be made by March, when current CASA boss John McCormick's current term expired.
Better get moving Warren. And please do watch out for the tactics of the GWM. The DAS, Associate DAS and Deputy DAS also need to be removed by March.
"There are some things I can do immediately without asking for an outside expert. It's just self-evident," Mr Truss said.
Hmmm, put your money where your mouth is Warren. You know what you need to do, now go and do it.
"For instance, it's silly to have a board that the CEO is not answerable to, and things like that. But it's better to do it all in one go when a new person is appointed or there is a renewal of a term."
Mr Truss conceded that aviation had been an area "where angels dared to tread", but there was concern about the system wherever he went, particularly among licensed aircraft maintenance engineers.
"The big airlines, they can cope with this, because they've got the people and the systems, but the poor one-man operator or just two or three people at a country airfield, this paper war is something they can't very easily cope with," Mr Truss said.
The policy calls for a firm strategic direction for CASA with renewed focus on meaningful industry consultation, an emphasis on consistency in interpreting the rules and a more timely and streamlined review process.
The industry complaints commissioner would be responsible for investigating complaints about CASA personnel and delegates or authorised personnel.
Bring back Michael Hart.
The commissioner would be required to provide a quarterly report to the board and director of aviation safety that included a summary of activities, the number or complaints received and time taken to respond.
How about adding to this - A comprehensive overview of the actions taken against CAsA as a result of proven complaints? Time for lip service to be gotten rid of, bring in department accountability.
"The other issue we get constantly is criticism of differences in the way the same laws are interpreted in different offices by different people," Mr Truss said.
Other key parts of the policy include better utilisation of the airspace.
The Coalition will task Airservices Australia with fast-tracking technological improvements at airports that are supported by both airports and airlines and could improve reliability.
The enroute subsidy scheme would be revived but would be restructured to provide maximum help to marginal routes.
The carbon tax goes as part of the wider Coalition policy, aviation manufacturing would be encouraged and there would be a move to revitalise general aviation.
On the vexed question of a second Sydney airport, the Coalition would make a decision on a second site in its first term of government.
I posted the below on another thread. I still reckon Mr Truss needs to consider some of these points as well;
By way of suggestion to Mr Truss, he ought to consider the following;
• The current Board does not need an increase in trough dwelling bureaucrats whose job is to protect a Minister while squeezing the DAS testicles between thumb and forefinger (they are rumoured to be quite small). The entire Board needs replacing, and should be replaced by 4 senior people with aviation experience. Their role becomes one of actually completing things such as the reg reform, improving aviation safety, enhancing our current system and reporting honestly and transparently with the sole purpose being SAFETY. Even if that means having to make hard decisions. Career bureaucrats serve no value on the Board.
• Restructure of the 'trio of DAS'. The current three should ALL be dumped come March 2014. Replaced by one DAS and one Deputy DAS who have an aviation background but one that includes actual aviation safety knowledge and experience. We don't need test pilots and angry 'one man show ' induviduals steering (I mean attempting to steer) Australian aviation.
• The incoming Government will need to publicly state 'Houston we have a problem', and admit that successive governments have f #cked the whole system. The sore has been ignored and now we have cancerous lesions.
• The ICC - The current set up is an absolute disgrace. Time for some back to basics, and lets use Michael Hart as an example of how the ICC should be run. Perhaps not perfect, but the current set-up is similar to a Mexican court.
• Any Government advisers on aviation matters could be made up to include independents and people like Xenophon and Fawcett, they simply must be considered.
• CAsA restructure - Apart from the obvious need to tear down the current malaise, there needs to be a ****load of tidying up of past events. How? A high level of inquiry/commission must be introduced to sift through the past events that simply will not be closed until justice is served, truth revealed and closure provided to the countless who have been wronged, denied, suffered at the hands of systemic bureaucratic failures, otherwise Australia will continue to be at pains for decades to come, just like NZ still is over Erebus where justice was never served. Closure must be prioritised for;
- The Transair Lockhart farce.
- The Pel Air fiasco
- Canley Vale, the next can of worms.
- Justice for Butson, Stan, Quadrio, James, Urqhart, Hare and the list goes on and on and on.........
• Time line - A 3 year time line, coinciding with the new Governments term should be set for finishing reform, restructuring CAsA, fixing the ATSB (which should include the removal of the three non aviation Commissioners), a Royal Commision or similar to be hopefully completed and apologies/recompense/justice be awarded to aviation victims and accountability including potential charges be laid upon negligent serving and former government employees.
• Mr Truss states that he can introduce some interim measures ? I would trust that might included removing the CAsA AND ATSBeakers top executives prior to the end of March 2014? And Mr Truss, lets see your plans detailed and in writing with a PERSONAL commitment and accountable statement from yourself please.
• Assistance - The incoming Government needs to eat a giant **** sandwich and seek assistance from ICAO to start with, followed by a potential working group from the FAA and CAA. Both labor and liberal have proven over the past 25 years that they do not understand aviation, have not been capable or willing to govern aviation, have contributed to the absolute demise in aviation safety standards and contributed to the death of GA. The mere voting in of a new government does not fix the underlying problems.
On a final note - Mr Albanese, farewell and good riddance. You were a pathetic aviation Minister. Words cannot describe your arrogance, ignorance, ineptitude and sheer laziness. Please take Mrdork with you. You leave behind a sorry record of aviation mismanagement. I for one will not miss you, hang your head in shame and don't bang the door on the way out. Bye bye.
Messrs Phelan and Sandilands - There is much work to be done in reporting of 'all things aviation'. Keep up your robust work over the coming months and beyond. You seem to be the only Reporters keen on keeping the bastards honest, so don't rest now whatever you do. There is STILL a need for justice to be served for crimes of the past, please don't let those stories be forgotten. The IOS are behind you (so to speak!)