Senate Inquiry into CASA.

[chainsaw]

airtags,

If the Government was serious the terms of reference would be widened to allow what is currently little more than a means to contain the Coroner's shadow of obligation and precipe for litigation.

It seems to me airtags that if the government is not serious about this Parliamentary Enquiry, then perhaps it (the government), the Minister, Ministerial advisers, and the departmental flunkies don't fully understand the precepts of honesty and fair dealing.

[Queenslander]

I believe that it will be very difficult for the cRudd Government and CASA to hide from the truth, especially after the Lockhart River accident. The interesting thing is the press release from the families associated with this tragic accident, which we know could have been prevented if CASA had followed its procedures and reviewed the airline in question.

I think CASA and its middle and senior managers will be in damage control mode and looking for ways to protect themselves, but the truth is this, somebody needs to go through CASA with the brush and get rid of the “dead wood” and also remove the “Old Boy” network. This would allow some fresh blood into the place. I see on PPRuNe that Canada has a problem with their aviation regulator.

I have to say that it’s SAD that CASA thinks that this statement will do anything:

“Teams will arrive unannounced at large and small aviation operations, aerodromes and airstrips to conduct checks, provide safety advice and investigate any breaches of the regulations,” a statement from CASA said.

Can somebody please tell CASA what “unannounced” means, as I do believe that they do not know, by the above statement, I’ll copy the meaning for them as from the on line Compact Oxford English Dictionary…..

1 not publicized. 2 without warning; unexpected

I believe the old boy network is in progress here, “Guys we are coming clean up your paperwork”…….. how much warning can you give and how blatantly do it as well, thinking we are that stupid that we do not know what they are doing………..

[Bob Murphie]

Air Ace;

I take the CASA media release as a threat.

Others;

The terms of reference do not address the one very important aspect of cronyism. This is the basis of many earlier failed inquiries from The Commonwealth Ombudsman to The Senate.

The terms of reference do not allow, (from what I see), for Mates, within, or recently departed from the Industry to be investigated. These Mates can be personal, professional, Military, or prick relations.

Only CASA is being investigated.

The LHR matter will go no further than investigating present day CASA, and more needs investigating on other aspects within the sequence of prior events leading up to and including base and corrupt politics and cronyism before the disaster.

The terms of reference do not address the problem, indeed they perpetuate it.

The Labor Party can exploit this if they have the guts.

[Air Ace]

The CASA Media Release a threat?

CASA officials are conducting unannounced checks at airstrips throughout northern parts of Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

The tests will be carried out over the next four weeks and will gauge how safety is addressed - pinpointing general issues within the industry.

"unannounced checks" ... "over the next four weeks" ... a threat?

Call me cynical, but isn't the public announcement, timing and intent of this exercise soley to demonstrate to the Senate Inquiry that CASA is carrying out it's surveylance task?

[Bob Murphie]

It's not a threat to the Senate Inquiry, it's a threat to the PBP flying in the area. Read the rest of my post. Unless anybody can change the terms of reference this is going nowhere. Also note the date for submissions.

It's no use discussing the matter, write to, or ring someone. Try these;



The Hon Kevin Rudd MP, Prime Minister
Mr David Epstein – Chief of Staff
02 6277 7700

The Hon Julia Gillard MP, Deputy Prime Minister
Ben Hubbard – Chief of Staff
02 6277 7320

The Wayne Swan MP, Treasurer
Chris Barrett – Chief of Staff
02 6277 7340

Senator the Hon Chris Evans, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship
Michael Boyle – Chief of Staff
02 6277 7860

Senator the Hon John Faulkner, Special Minister of State
Kate Harrison – Chief of Staff
02 6277 7600

The Hon Simon Crean MP, Minister for Trade
David Garner – Chief of Staff
02 6277 7420

The Hon Stephen Smith MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs
Paul Grigson – Chief of Staff
02 6277 7500

The Hon Joel Fitzgibbon MP, Minister for Defence
Daniel Cotterill – Chief of Staff
02 6277 7800

The Hon Nicola Roxon MP, Minister for Health & Ageing
Michael Reid – Chief of Staff
02 6277 7220

The Hon Jenny Macklin MP, Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
Joanna Brent – Chief of Staff
02 6277 7560

The Hon Anthony Albanese MP, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government
Michael Chouiefate - Chief of Staff
02 6277 7680

Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
Mark Tapley – Chief of Staff
02 6277 7480

Senator the Hon Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Science and Research
Rachel Stephen-Smith – Chief of Staff
02 6277 7580

The Hon Peter Garrett AM MP, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts
David Williams – Chief of Staff
02 6277 7640

The Hon Robert McClelland MP, Attorney General
Jonathon Kirkwood – Chief of Staff
02 6277 7300

Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Minister for Climate Change and Water
David Fredericks – Chief of Staff
02 6277 7920

The Hon Tony Burke MP, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Kirsten Andrews, Chief of Staff
02 6277 7520

The Hon Martin Ferguson AM MP, Minister for Resources and Energy
Denise Spinks – Chief of Staff
02 6277 7930

The Hon Lindsay Tanner MP, Minister for Finance and Deregulation
Anthony Baker – Chief of Staff
02 6277 7400

The Hon Chris Bowen MP, Assistant Treasurer, Minister for Competition Policy & Consumer Affairs
Brett Gale – Chief of Staff
02 6277 7360

The Hon Bob Debus, Minister for Home Affairs
Michael Tatham - Chief of Staff
02 6277 7290

The Hon Justine Elliott, Minister for the Ageing
Walt Secord – Chief of Staff
02 6277 7280

The Hon Kate Ellis MP, Minister for Youth, Minister for Sport
Michael McGuire – Chief of Staff
02 6277 7350

The Hon Dr Craig Emerson MP, Minister for Small Business, Independent Contractors, and the Service Economy, Minister Assisting the Finance Minister on Deregulation
Lynne Ashpole – Chief of Staff
02 6277 7450

The Hon Alan Griffin MP, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs
Ross Bain – Chief of Staff
02 6277 7820

Senator the Hon Joseph Ludwig, Minister for Human Services
Simon Every – Chief of Staff
02 6277 7200

The Hon Brendan O’Connor MP, Minister for Employment Participation
Yvette Nash – Chief of Staff
02 6277 7630

The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, Minister for Housing, Minister for the Status of Women
Michael Woodhouse – Chief of Staff
02 6277 7780

Senator the Hon Nick Sherry, Minister for Superannuation and Corporate Governance
Judith Downey – Chief of Staff
02 6277 7410

The Hon Warren Snowdon MP, Minister for Defence Science and Personnel
Peter Reece – Chief of Staff
02 6277 7620



EDIT TO ADD The terms of reference, the whole three of them;

Terms of Reference
On 29 May 2008, the Senate Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport resolved, under Standing Order 25(2)(b), to conduct a formal inquiry into the administration of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and related matters. The proposed reporting date is 9 July 2008.

Noting the Government's announced intention to release a National Aviation Policy Green Paper in the latter half of 2008 and the importance of maintaining Australia's strong aviation safety record, the committee will conduct an inquiry into the administration of CASA and related matters:

to assess the effectiveness of administrative reforms undertaken by CASA's management since 2003;
to examine the effectiveness of CASA's governance structure; and
to consider ways to strengthen CASA's relations with industry and ensure CASA meets community expectations of a firm safety regulator.
The committee invites written submissions, which should be lodged by Monday, 30 June 2008, to:

The Secretary
Senate Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600

[Air Ace]

I can't imagine why, but the terms of reference appear intended solely to:

• Placate the Lockhart River families.
  
• Terminate the CASA CEO/Director's appointment.
  
• Justify re-installing a Board to manage CASA.

It would be a waste of paper writing to all those Ministers. The only elected representatives who have expressed an interest in this Inquiry are:

The Hon Martin Ferguson AM MP,
Minister for Resources and Energy

Senator the Hon. Jan McLucas
Senator for Queensland

Senator Kerry O'Brien
Senator for Tasmania

[Bob Murphie]

The terms of reference still do not address the problems.

They will not alter the status quo except re-arrange the deckchairs. That includes Byron's position.

I don't see how it will placate the LHR Families unless liability is admitted, which it won't be.

The CASA Board will only be effective if it's members are "hands on" aviation people. Remember the last one?

Everyone who has been 'fingered' by the Funnelweb of CASA must put in a submission or an opportunity is lost. You can't rely on your 'representative' organisations to take up individual causes. It has to be done individually.

The problem as I see it is nobody currently working, or reliant on CASA's benevolence will stand up, and only those who have been touched by CASA's vindictiveness and heavy handed tactics will, and they will be classed as vexacious crusaders.

I mentioned prior that there is an opportunity for the Labor Government to gain some ground here, even if they extend the Inquiry to a Royal Commission, simply because they already know the outcome.

[Queenslander]

Bob, that’s my concern, they have already formulated the required conclusion to the review, a Royal Commission would be the more ideal review, that way the “Deckchairs” can only be moved so far without a please explain and more in-depth investigation would be required.

I’m with Dick on this one, it is going to take another LHR accident and THEN a Royal Commission will be required/demanded by the travelling public as their safety has been placed into jeopardy by CASA and it’s lack of ability to enforce it’s own regulations.

The Labour government under cRudd will do nothing, that’s labour, they promised the earth and have delivered nothing, well not really nothing, they have delivered us into this problem by privatisation of the secondary aerodromes.

Dick, question for you, can you not talk to the press or have a word in some bodies ear?????

[Queenslander]

Dick,

Is their anything that can be done before another LHR and more loss of life due to CASA being incompetent?

[Dick Smith]

I don't think so.

[Queenslander]

This is so frustrating that we can't do anything but just have to sit back and watch a "kangaroo" Senate Inquiry take place

Dick, can’t you become a politician and sort these dickhe@ds out, I’d do it myself, but I can't lie as efficiently as they do, and I also have to look at myself in the mirror in the morning, and I'm far to passionate about aviation and what is happening, to keep my mouth shut

Why are the journalists quiet on this, thought this would be a great story for them…….

[Walrus 7]

Dick and others,

I agree that nothing can be done with CASA until another LHR tragedy occurs. However, that is not a reason for us to stop trying.

The Democrats failed to keep the bastards honest, so now it's up to us.

Walrus

[Queenslander]

Walrus 7,

As Dick has said, we are very limited to what we can do, apart from sitting back and watching the already scripted conclusion to the senate inquiry be played out in the public arena.

The LHR families I think will not let this go away until they are happy with the outcome, I also hope that they keep fighting till both the Government and CASA are shown to have breached their care of duty, and held responsible, but alas, they will never do that.

I agree with you, we must continue to make the general public aware of the issues and problems with the department and the lack of ability for that department to enforce its regulatory obligations to safety.

I agree with Bob Murphie when he says “The Labor Party can exploit this if they have the guts” but they are now showing that they talk the talk for the election and DO NOT walk the walk.

[Bob Murphie]

The latest CASA email blurb acknowledges that 19,998,474 out of a 20 million population are dissatisfied with CASA. Page 1 'The CASA Briefing'.

Only 1526 people were 'satisfied' in a recent representative? poll.

http://www.casa.gov.au/media/downloa...icsurvey08.pdf

[Queenslander]

CASA must have supplied the names and contact details

[Bob Murphie]

I apologise.

Of the 1526 persons surveyed only 78% were satisfied, (1190 persons). Crikey, this is worse than I thought. There is a lot of grey fuzz out there that has more digits than my calculator.

I wonder what this cost us?

[Bob Murphie]

When Anderson dissolved the last CASA Board it seemed like a good idea at the time. Times change and I now wonder if it was a mistake after all?

Being alert to the fact that a Camel is a Horse designed by a Committee, perhaps there is merit in taking the decision process away from the Bureaucrats and Advisors who interfere with matters before they get to The respective Minister who can, and will mishandle any situation given the chance.

Just thinking out aloud.

[Queenslander]

justapplhere what do you think should be done

[Torres]

justapplhere

I see nothing in this thread which gives any credibility to your suggestion.

Care to elaborate?

[Justin Grogan]

http://www.casa.gov.au/media/98_99/10mar99.htm