Sunny – "I don't believe I've ever smelt a whiff of corruption involving money,". etc.
I had to dig back five years into the BK chronicles to find any reference to 'money' changing hands; the story was purported to be 'dinkum', with photographs, documents etc. and touted to be a big 'Hoo-Haa'. But it never amounted to anything, partly because the flying school went belly up, partly because it involved overseas students and partly because the case was never driven to conclusion; but it's the only one ever broke the surface.
[but] the AAT is littered with examples of personal vendettas pursued by CASA.
Again hard to make a call of honest fiscal corruption; but moral and legal corruption rule supreme. For example, the protected species, the 'pet' chief pilot, the willing accomplice and the true evil – the unsubstantiated 'hearsay' transmogrified into 'facts and circumstances' all benefit from and thrive under the umbrella provided by the 'regulator'. The tales are many, legend and provable; the unfortunate part is that they land in the AAT, which "stands in the shoes of the regulator". There is tribe of unfortunates who tread the dimly lit pathways to the FoIA, to ICC, to Ombudsman, to politicians, to media, to medical experts, to lawyers, to defective administration, to coroner: all in vain.
We see a few examples briefly aired on Pprune, but if real regulatory reform is to be achieved, this bloody awful administration must be brought to heel. No matter how good the rule set – without a regulator who is absolutely above suspicion, we will simply continue in the same vane, with new rules,
This new FAA reject – soon to be DAS better bring body armour and a SWAT team; the other side will. They are the home team with years of practice at covering the pug marks leading up to the kill, have all the local support and an entrenched system of protection which reaches into the deepest, darkest portals of the 'Crat Mutual Protection Society'. The Murky Machiavellian club is only the first layer of opposition, after that, even if you beat it, the senior league will grind any real reformer into the cold, arid desert of 25 years and counting.
Clean out the top three layers, encourage the 'white hats' and grab a big stick, like the Senate committee to provide top cover, the Bored to cover your arse and the CDPP to prosecute the known offenders; then maybe things will change. A new minuscule would be a great first step; can't see the new DAS pitching up to Abbott's office asking for a new minuscule somehow and getting it; can you??
Aye well – the BBQ needs a clean and Minnie is in spring cleaning mode. Best crack on.
Toot toot..