Estimates Hansard Start P.63-(PDF) P.59 (Hansard). (All bolding mine)
GAME -
Mr McCormick: We provided technical input to the department which formulated the responses to the minister.
Mr McCormick: There were 22 recommendations from memory and then there were some additional comments from yourself
Mr McCormick: As I say we do not formulate those recommendations
Mr McCormick: From our point of view we were not dismissing anything out of hand. All we can give is our opinion of what we think of the recommendations.
Mr McCormick: I am trying to answer your question, but I personally do not know what we said as far as the answers go, compared to what answers came out there. I am not comparing both. Our concern was what the recommendation meant to us. We did not form a view for the government or whether the government would accept or reject it. That was not our role.
Mr McCormick: I do not know if anyone was more actively involved in this than myself, but we would say what that recommendation meant as to where we are today and its effect on us. But whether it is accepted or rejected is not something we recommend.
Mr McCormick: Making a recommendation to accept or reject a recommendation.
Senator XENOPHON: Perhaps I should ask the minister or the secretary this. What difficulty would there be in CASA providing material to the department about the Senate inquiry on Pel Air.
Mr McCormick: Again, Senator, I will have to take that on notice. I am not sure what the protocols are around that.
SET point - Wait for it, here comes the cavalry:-
Mr Mrdak: The minister is currently finalising his consideration of a response to the Senate inquiry. I will take that on notice. I do not think there is an issue in principle but I would need to take that on notice and come back to you.
Senator XENOPHON: Let us not talk at cross purposes here. I am saying that CASA gave a considered response presumably to the Senate inquiry, to the minister, to consider. That itself would not be a draft, it would be a document from CASA to the department. What harm would there be for that document eventually seeing the light of day?
Mr Mrdak: Again, without recalling the exact details of the document, I do not have an issue in principle, but I need to take it on notice.
Senator XENOPHON: At the end of the day you would not have an issue in principle with that being released, would you, Mr McCormick?
Mr McCormick: Again, I will take it on notice. I personally do not, but I am not sure what the protocols are. Perhaps Dr Aleck might have something to say.
Dr Aleck: I will concur with what has gone before and to add that CASA made a number of submissions to that inquiry. To the extent that the recommendations dealt with the same issues that were covered by the submissions I suspect there would be some alignment with our submissions.
MATCH -
CHAIR: I am advised that there is no procedural reason, in reference to your earlier questions, for the advice that CASA gave the department to be not tabled. It is something where there is no procedural blockage.
Magnanimous in victory, the opponent is allowed to limp back to the changing rooms, to lick the wounds and salvage any remaining scraps of self respect.
Senator XENOPHON: If we can go back to that, Mr McCormick, to the department and to the minister, I formally request that you table a copy of CASA's response to the department in respect of the Senate report of the inquiry into aviation accident investigations handed in May 2013.
Mr McCormick: I acknowledge your request, Senator, and we will take it on notice and check the legal advice. If it concurs with what we have heard today then we certainly will provide it.
Senator XENOPHON: What has legal advice got to do with it?
This where a picture could say a thousand words, pregnant moment? oh yes....
Mr McCormick: We are merely checking to make sure that that is the case.
Ever have one of those moments, when you know, you'd only opened your mouth to change feet. MM' s face was a study, he may be hard to beat in a poker game, but my MaMa could have won that pot classic.
Senator XENOPHON: Are you suggesting that a request from a committee of the Senate for a document is something that could be fettered by legal advice?
Is it just me or was that a master class in how to set traps for the unheeding. The cavalry may have saved an entire rout, but it had to cough up the requested information. Does the Murky, Machiavellian team have a bus timetable?, it would save them time, standing about waiting for one.
And solid gold from Heff to wrap it up.
CHAIR: I regret to inform the committee that that is the end of CASA. Questions, that isI was just corrected by the secretary. It is not the end of CASA, just the end of them being here. I now call ATSB....
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