While the TASRR initiative, on the thread with that name is debated, derided, deflated , dessicated etc..etc let us not forget that we still have the PelAir report to be responded to.
Like Albo's GWEP did with the Pilot training inquiry, let's not allow the Truss ASRR white wash the 26 recommendations of the PelAir inquiry. The TASRR barely covers off on one recommendation (i.e. recommendation 13) and only smears the edges of several more. The PelAir recommendations are almost solely designed to return
reason to the ATSB, get them back on track to be once again amongst the world leaders of transport safety investigation and to get them out from under the evil Empire's shadow of pending doom and decimation as an effective safety watchdog...
So a couple of excerpts from the recent Senate Supp Estimates:
CASA inquisition:
Senator XENOPHON: Perhaps I will ask the secretary. Given the communication that was sent from CASA to the department what difficulty would there be for the department and CASA to provide us with a copy of CASA's response?
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: For instance,—I am not saying this would be the case—if the majority of this committee was minded to ask for that response at some stage,
whether it waits for the minister's response to the Senate inquiry with recommendations, you do not see any particular difficulty with that as a matter of principle?
Mr Mrdak : Without
pre-empting the minister's consideration of the matter, we have put an extensive amount of material and
a draft response to successive ministers. Without prejudicing that process I will take that on notice.
& this....
Senator XENOPHON: I just wanted to ask you, Mr Mrdak and the minister, about the Senate report
Aviation accident investigations of May 2013, otherwise known as the Pel-Air report. That report contained a number of quite scathing findings both in relation to CASA and the ATSB,
in particular the Chief Commissioner of the ATSB, about his competence in the handling of that investigation. It raised a number of
serious issues in terms of the exchange of information between the two agencies and whether that, in fact,
compromised or could potentially compromise air safety. Can the minister indicate—you may not need to take this on notice—
when the government will be responding to quite a damning report that was unanimous in its findings across any party lines about—
Senator Sinodinos: My advice was
we would respond before the end of the year. Are you aware that last week the minister also released the terms of reference and members for an international panel to undertake a fairly comprehensive review into aviation safety regulations in Australia?
And finally after Mrdak dumps Albo in the pooh:
Mr Mrdak : Following our conversation at the 29 May estimates, I provided advice to the minister on 5 June 2013.
Senator FAWCETT: Did that have recommendations for a response to the Senate report?
Mr Mrdak : It provided advice on the Senate report,
including options for handling of the Senate inquiry report, yes.
{Query: I wonder if the committee could get a copy of the Dept previous/present Minister advice & options for handling of the Senate inquiry report}
Senator FAWCETT: Did it
flag the fact that there were safety implications raised in the Senate report?
Mr Mrdak : It certainly drew to the minister's attention the findings of the Senate committee report.
So maybe the 4Ms (Minister, Mrdak, McScreamer & mi..mi..mi..Beaker) are all hoping the PelAir report can be lost in the flotsam of the TASRR, to be soon a small insignificant speck on the horizon??
However as a fully-fledged four bar member of the IOS I am here to inform them that it is not going to happen!!
Note1: Perhaps Truss should be seeing his response as a test case to see how fair dinkum he is and to provide confidence that the TASRR is not just another smokescreen of government obfuscation???
Note2: For further amusement it would appear that we will be soon privy to both the ATSBeaker and FF response, criticism and attempted whitewash of the PA report...I look fwd to documenting that on here..
