I recently found this cutting from the Namoi Valley Independent from Thursday 5 October 2000. Here is a
link.
Particularly note the quotes from John Anderson, who at the time was the Deputy Prime Minister, leader of the National Party and Minister for Transport.
“I don’t think that you should ever regard aviation safety as what is affordable. Safety is something which has the highest priority - it is not a question of cost.”
It is interesting where he states it is not worth having a meeting with me because:
“His views are well known and are generally not accepted.”
Yes, back in 2000, now 16 years ago, many dopes in the industry accused me of introducing affordable safety – can you imagine unaffordable safety? They constantly resisted my campaign to remove all unnecessary costs. We are now reaping the results.
We are now suffering the damage and it is all so unnecessary – and it was industry supported damage.
Of course John Anderson’s ‘cargo cult’ statements would have come straight from the Department. The key issue now is whether Mr Chester’s views are the same.