Nick..
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Government soft on Pel-Air findings - 20th March 2014
The Commonwealth Government has let down the travelling public by failing to fully implement the findings of a highly critical Senate inquiry into aviation safety, Independent Senator for South Australia, Nick Xenophon, said today.
The Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee’s report into aviation accident investigations (the Pel-Air Report) found serious failures on the part of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) regarding the investigation of the ditching of Pel-Air VH-NGA off Norfolk Island in 2009.
“There are very serious matters raised in this report, including how effectively aviation operators are regulated,” Nick said. “CASA and the ATSB seem more interested in protecting themselves than protecting the Australian public.”
Senator Xenophon said the Government had failed to look at the bigger picture in the report, which shows serious systemic failures in both the ATSB and CASA.
“For the most part, the Government seems to accept that the current processes and systems are enough to make sure the ATSB and CASA are working properly,” Nick said. “But the evidence in this report clearly shows that’s not happening.”
“The Government shouldn’t take assurances from the ATSB or CASA at face value.”
Senator Xenophon said he hoped the Aviation Safety Regulation Review, established by Transport Minister Warren Truss, would back up the findings of the committee. The ATSB’s investigative processes, including its report into the Pel-Air ditching, are also being reviewed by the Canadian Transport Safety Board (TSB). However, Senator Xenophon fears the TSB review could be a whitewash because of its limited terms of reference.
“I hope the committee’s report has opened the door for serious change,” Nick said. “I believe the independent review will vindicate its findings, and I hope the Government will have the courage to act on them.”
miniscule wet lettuce MR..
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Media Statement
20 March 2014
Response to Airline Accident Investigations Report
TODAY Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss announced the Australian Government’s response to the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee’s Report into Aviation Accident Investigations.
Mr Truss welcomed the Committee’s report as an important contribution to further improving Australia’s aviation safety framework and commended the Committee on its careful deliberations.
"The Government has agreed to 20 of the 26 recommendations in the report, with a further four of the recommendations being matters for consideration by the independent safety agencies concerned," Mr Truss said.
"Key recommendations that the Government has agreed to include improvements to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s (ATSB) investigative and reporting policies and procedures, and the establishment of better and more transparent information sharing and governance arrangements between the ATSB and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).
"A number of initiatives have already been implemented to address many of the recommendations in the report.
"In November last year we established an independent Aviation Safety Regulation Review, which is expected to bring forward a number of options for the Government’s consideration on further improvements to Australia’s aviation safety regulation framework.
"The Review, being undertaken by a panel of leading international aviation safety experts, is also examining options for reducing the cost of regulation on industry."
The Aviation Safety Regulation Review Panel is expected to deliver its report to the Government by the end of May 2014.
Mr Truss said since receiving the Senate Committee’s report, an independent peer review of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau had also commenced which is examining the Bureau’s methodologies and processes, concerns about which were raised in the Committee’s report.
The peer review of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau is being carried out by the Canadian Transportation Safety Board, which is also expected to finalise its report in May 2014.
Mr Truss added that the government has also recently introduced legislative amendments to strengthen the CASA Board by providing for an additional two members.
"These amendments will allow the Government to increase the level of aviation experience on the Board and allow an expanded Board to oversee CASA’s new strategic direction, which the Government will issue to CASA after it has considered the Aviation Safety Regulation Review Panel’s report," he said.
A copy of the Australian Government’s full response to the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee’s Report into Aviation Accident Investigations is available online at: www.infrastructure.gov.au/aviation/safety
Hansard link for NX & DF on the Govt Response tabling
HERE