QF near miss over Great Australian Bight

[004wercras]

This incident brings back to mind a discussion I was involved in back in 2000 as to whether a U/S TCAS should be a MEL item or whether it should result in an AOG. Makes you wonder that if James Reasons Swiss cheese had really lined up with this QF occurrence and both aircraft had U/S TCAS what would the result have been?
Also there has been a lot of talk about the controller being stood down. Pending an investigation this is a totally appropriate measure. If ASA exhibit a just culture then the controller being stood down pending an interim investigation is not punitive, and nor should it be. One would assume that the controllers colleagues and supporters are doing just that at the moment, looking after their colleague.

One would hope that the ATSBeaker will look at all aspects of the controllers 'alleged' mistake including;

- As mentioned earlier on this thread, what were the controllers shift patterns during and leading up to the occurrence, how many days straight, length of shifts, overtime, and what activities took place on the controllers days off?
- Work environment including management support and adequate breaks. Was there a controller shortage leading up to and during this occurrence?
- Training. The quality, depth and adequacy of the controllers training, was it commensurate for his/her role?
- Incident reports. Has there been any systemic issues or increase in controller mistakes that can be attributed to the port in question or across the organisation in general?
- CAsA oversight - Has CAsA audited ASA's method of creating shifts, controlling fatigue and ASA's support measures for affected controllers?
- Will ATSBeaker be investigating the aircraft in question with the U/S TCAS? Is there a pattern of unserviceabilty with the aircraft in question? Is there a higher than average occurrence rate across the airline operation in relation to the flying of aircraft with busted TCAS, even if it as a MEL item?

I believe the ASA's frontline people work extremely hard under some pretty piss poor conditions. I hope that Management and their penny pinching bureaucratic attitudes is not a causal factor in this near disaster.