The Ministers and Opposition speeches makes it perfectly clear that the the possibility that a revitalized aviation sector might generate investment, jobs and economic growth in Australia is ignored by both parties. It is now certain that the aviation industry, especially the GA and recreational sectors of it, will remain in terminal decline.
I had hoped that the Ministers speech would have contained words to the effect that a strong, growing and vibrant aviation sector was important for the Australian economy but no. The closest he got was the use of the word "competitive", competitive with what?
I think I see the overall theme here that I missed before; CASA is charged with keeping the Australian public safe
from aviation.]
CASAs function is thus characterised by both parties as :
(1) Ensuring passengers on airlines don't die in a screaming death plunge and,
(2) Preventing crazy pilots in all other little aircraft from making their own screaming death plunge into the members of the general public below them.
If in the process their actions destroy businesses and the investment, jobs and potential economic growth they provide....stiff.
That is what I read out of the speech quoted below:
The role of the regulator is a difficult one. CASA serves not only the industry but the public more broadly.
CASA is part of a system which is charged with protecting all passengers, their crew and the community. Members of the travelling public are not usually able to make their own individual assessments of safety issues and rely on the regulatory system for assurance.
Aviation services can be complex and expensive operations. The business environment in which aviation operates is a challenging and often highly competitive one with fluctuating market conditions. Even well-established and well intentioned aviation operators can encounter problems.
In such a complex environment the Government expects the regulator to be firm but fair in how it conducts its role.
The embuggerance will now continue redoubled. Jabiru is the latest victim to be slaughtered along with the Recreational Aircraft Association. Good work CASA, all the jobs at Jabiru will go along with a thousand now useless recreational aircraft and the association that administered them. In fact there will probably be more casualties,, for without a self administering body like the RAA to give recreational aircraft a home, how can they be regulated and rendered flyable?