Sacs –"Long bow I know, cause the AFP are more than likely just going through the motions with their inquiries, but maybe there is another reason for the Chairs to include para (2) above. Not sure of the legal perspective but it is possible that by freeing up all information held under privilege from the AAI inquiry they can then also legally give access to the same evidence to the AFP.
To hit a very small target. Sunday speculation; couple or three options for consideration float to the surface for speculation on 'why' take the MoP road.
The lazy cynics can and do mount a good argument which is grounded in solid fact and evidence. Historically, all manner of 'inquiries' and the like have essentially come nought, except for those 'changes' wrought when there has been solid 'political' i.e. Ministerial support and a DAS who could be persuaded to at least enter the debate. There have been some brief periods where 'good sense' prevailed and reform encouraged. There is no need to regurgitate the sad history, students of that topic need no such lesson.
But I wonder; (Sunday ramble following) – Let's consider that the Pel Air ditching inquiry exposed the tip of a less than satisfactory system. That is plain enough for all to see, what was exposed stripped away much of the gilding on the CASA Lilly and tarnished the previously credible ATSB. That is the whole of Australia's aviation safety system oversight exposed to scrutiny and found wanting. This by extension casts doubt over every decision and edict CASA have made; for an example of how deep the wound is, there is no need to look past the TigerAir, Quadrio, James, Barrier, Airtex, Polar or Air North stories; it's all there writ large. Perhaps, the public, politicians and a good percentage of industry don't, can't or won't see the implications: furry muff; no reason why they should. A man like Xenophon however would intuitively 'smell a rat'. But to Fawcett, an accredited, trained, qualified and gifted expert with an inbuilt sense of duty to protect 'his' troops every warning bell must be ringing. Intuitively, cognitively and logically the 'wrongness' is clearly apparent..
The Senate committee must be hopping mad, in a bi-partisan way. Have they been condescended to?, have they been treated with contempt?, have they been bushwhacked by the Department?, is Truss attempting to derail the good intentions of and recommendations made by that committee?. IMO – yes to all.
To determined clever folk, the seemingly impenetrable barriers, which place CASA above the laws of man and the gods must be breached before any meaningful reform of the regulator, which must come before regulatory reform, can begin.
So, the question – is the MoP the Open Sesame (iftaḥ yā simsim) to the fabled thieves cave?
Don't know the answer, but I've bought a ticket to the show (dress circle). It is, I believe going to be a very interesting month or so.
“We’re eyeball to eyeball,” Secretary of State Dean Rusk whispered to National Security Adviser McGeorge Bundy, “and I think the other fellow just blinked.”
End Sunday ramble.
Toot toot.....
