All good questions Soty and Creamy's answer is fairly close to the mark but there is another element and that is the crazy swings & roundabouts of QLD politics, in particular the internal boiling pot of the LNP. After all why do you think DPM Wuss was drawn out in the first place to reply to an article on what can only be described as a minor voter issue i.e. Angel Flight. Why would he bother?? Well probably because at least half of QLD (North of Wide Bay) absolutely hate the guy and it would appear that they're none to fond of Barnaby...
:
Push for Lawrence Springborg to replace Warren Truss as deputy PM
SENIOR Newman Government minister Lawrence Springborg is being touted as a possible replacement for Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss.
The Sunday Mail understands a push is on for Mr Springborg to leave George Street for Canberra and replace Nationals stalwart Bruce Scott as the federal Member for Maranoa so he can be considered for the Nationals leadership - and deputy prime minister role.
TRUSS: Slow and steady wins the race
Federal Liberal and National MPs unhappy with the performance of Nationals deputy leader Barnaby Joyce are behind the push.
Mr Joyce is considered the next in line to replace Mr Truss .
Mr Springborg admitted yesterday LNP figures had approached him previously about switching to Maranoa, but said the speculation about him replacing Mr Truss as deputy prime minister was “intriguing”.
“I’ve never heard about that. I don’t know where it’s come from,” he said.“If I said I was flattered by it, it would probably be an over-exaggeration. I’m more bemused by it than anything else.” {Weasel words for..."my bags are packed just give me the nod"..
}
Mr Springborg said he was committed to remaining in the Queensland Parliament.
It would also appear that the Courier Mail has also got the knives out for the Wuss?? Let me explain, here is the CM version of the Wuss reply letter (as supplied by Frank..
):
However it would appear that the
Courier Mail has taken selective editing to a whole new level...
Apparently this was the true version of the Wuss reply letter (edited parts are in bold which includes the title)..
:
Angel Flight well respected: Truss
20th September, 2014
Had anyone from the Courier-Mail bothered to contact my office before publishing ‘Deputy PM turns back on the bush’ (20 September 2014), a few salient facts may have helped your readers.
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is responsible for ensuring the safe operation of civil aircraft and that objective will not be compromised. Australia has an enviable reputation for safe flying.
CASA is statutory body and, as Minister, I cannot direct it on safety regulations.
From time to time, CASA issues discussion papers when it is considering options to revise regulatory measures. The purpose of discussion papers is to ensure that options being considered are the best available before beginning any new rule making procedures.
This Australian Government is all about removing red tape and cutting regulations that place unreasonable burdens on businesses and community organisations. We are not in favour of creating onerous obstacles where none are needed.
Angel Flight is a well respected and admired community organisation. Its volunteers (including the pilots) give freely of their time and resources so that country people with health issues, who are under financial hardship, can obtain the treatment they need.
Angel Flight does outstanding work across Australia, which is greatly appreciated by country communities. The government is anxious to ensure that this work can continue without interruption.
Angel Flight already complies with all CASA regulations. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau report into an August 2011 fatal accident near Horsham Airport involving an Angel Flight arranged aircraft attributed no fault to the charity.
The report also noted that Angel Flight passenger transport operations were classified as private flights with operational responsibility resting with the pilot in command.
In those circumstances CASA would need to mount a strong argument to justify taking a more heavy-handed regulatory approach to volunteer community organisations.
It is also worth noting that the Government has recently completed a major review of CASA and will shortly respond to its major recommendations. The Government is in the process of appointing new Board members and a new CEO.
Puts a slightly different spin on it I guess but we all know that the Wuss is well known for speaking with forked tongue himself...
Example from last year...
:
Air crash investigation needs full throttle response
27th May, 2013“MINISTER Anthony Albanese must urgently respond to the recommendations flowing from a Senate Committee investigation into a ditched Pel-Air flight off Norfolk Island in November 2009,” Nationals leader and Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Warren Truss said today.
“The recommendations, handed down last Thursday by the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee in their Aviation Accident Investigations Report, make disturbing reading.
“The Senate Inquiry was established following the release of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s (ATSB’s) report into the Norfolk Island incident almost three years after the event.
“The circumstances of the flight were both a disaster and a miracle. Despite mistakes being made by the pilot on the air ambulance trip from Apia (Samoa) to the Australian mainland, all four passengers and two crew were saved, the aircraft successfully ditching at night off the coast of Norfolk Island during bad weather.
“However, the purpose of the Senate Inquiry was not the incident itself, but the alleged breakdown in investigation and reporting by the ATSB and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).
“Specifically, the report states:
‘The committee accepts that the pilot in command made errors on the night, and this inquiry was not an attempt to vindicate him. Instead, the committee’s overriding objective from the outset was to find out why the pilot became the last line of defence on the night and to maximise the safety outcomes of future ATSB and CASA investigations in the interests of the travelling public’.
“The report makes 26 recommendations to improve the conduct, regulation and procedures governing aviation incident investigations, which the Committee argues were not up to scratch.
“People have every right to expect world’s best practice when it comes to aviation safety, which includes comprehensive investigation and reporting of incidents. The community is entitled to have confidence in our aviation safety regulations and the conduct of our regulators.
“Similarly, it is vital that through comprehensive incident investigations and reporting, industry and regulators are accorded the opportunity to learn from past mistakes and improve systems to overcome existing weaknesses.
“The Report raises serious issues of process that must be addressed. Minister Albanese must restore public confidence in our accident investigatory bodies and deal with the concerns raised in the Inquiry as a matter of urgency.”
Meanwhile the plight of Angel Flight is starting to come onto some more MSM radars (i.e. other than QLD):
Air angels under threat, warns founder
Angels fearing clipped wings
Angel Flight anger over proposed CASA changes
Somehow I don't think this will be the last that the Wuss will hear about Angel Flight..
MTF...
