Qantas appoints new 'Head of Safety'
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Sunfish,
Your example is a wonderful precis of how it was in the 1980-1990s in the Australian Public Service.
Your example is a wonderful precis of how it was in the 1980-1990s in the Australian Public Service.
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Sunfish...
Sounds like you were listing to a bloke called Murray.
We listened for a while..Then the rest is history and the worst part is it never needed be that way
(ALAEA PIA 2007)
The exchange basically goes like this:
Manager (M): "I want "X" to be done this way like it says in this manual".
Informal Leader (L): "We can't do it that way. It doesn't work. It never has worked, the manual is BS. This is how we do it."
Manager: "I don't care what you do, I want it done like the theory says."
Informal Leader: "Listen Sonny........."
It's all downhill from there.
Manager (M): "I want "X" to be done this way like it says in this manual".
Informal Leader (L): "We can't do it that way. It doesn't work. It never has worked, the manual is BS. This is how we do it."
Manager: "I don't care what you do, I want it done like the theory says."
Informal Leader: "Listen Sonny........."
It's all downhill from there.
We listened for a while..Then the rest is history and the worst part is it never needed be that way
(ALAEA PIA 2007)
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Sunfish you have been reading my mail. After THAT year, in a attempt to keep my family in Australia, I got a job with BASI, along with another TAA pilot, and joining us was one Ansett pilot. Now bearing in mind the three of us had not done anything else but fly aircraft, we were hardly public service material, but with around about 40 thousand hours between us, you think we would know something, No. We were all assigned positions as crash investigators, and dutifully turned up to work in CBR where we learnt, (1) not to upset the Raafie Chappies, who basically ran it, (2) that many clubs were run out of the office including cricket, car, orchid ( fair dinkum) and any accidents or incidents were not allowed to interfere with the running of the above clubs. (3) that you started work at 0830 and finished work at 1700, and nothing but nothing interfered with that, and you also learnt that to try to get back into the office at 1659 could cause you to die, as the lemmings came down the stairs like a soccer mob out of control, quite capable of walking over the top of you, in their desperate need to get out. (4) that any knowledge displayed by us, was sneered at, (what would civil pilots know) and we were seen by some, as smart arses and had to wear, at times, Mr. Hawkes "overpaid bus drivers" remarks, as well as the RAAF'S total Sh%ts about their aircraft used as PAX airliners. Finally we made it out into the field where we were much happier (we knew nothing about office politics, water cooler gossip, or he said, she said, stuff) and even if at times it was very confronting, at last you could talk to engineers and people who spoke your lingo. Needless to say we did not stay long, and all took OS flying jobs, packed up and left. Now I am sure things have changed, (I hope) and CASA is a different operation, from that era and mindset, but it gave me insight into public service thinking of which I was completely oblivious to. Things I learnt which might be of help in dealing with govt depts.(1) Never state the bleeding obvious. (to easy) (2) always take three to four copies of any paperwork when dealing with them (they are likely to lose at least 2 of them) (3)Try to get the name of the person your dealing with (it normally sounds like "haveajarofvegemite") (4) be prepared to wait. (Especially if a Govt cheque) (5) keep trying, ( I have known of people who had success, normally just before they died) (6) STAY on the flight deck, DO NOT consider a govt job, YOU ARE NOT SUITABLE!
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Now I am sure things have changed, (I hope) and CASA is a different operation, from that era and mindset
Hullo Mr Tee Emm, she said - I haven't seen you for ever such a long time - have you been on holidays? And would you like a nice cup of tea, Luv?
Oh yes please Mrs Smith - I would love one. Thank you so much for asking. The old lady pours the tea out of a whacking big tea pot and gives it to me. I noticed that next to the sugar bowl on her trolley were two types of tea spoons. One lot was made of silver metal and the other lot were Woolworths plastic spoons.
I was about to carefully select a silver spoon when the old lady stopped me and said quite sternly "Have you got a carpet in your office, Luv?"
I thought of the cockpit of the F28 with its metal floor and replied "No, Mrs Smith, no carpet in my office".
"In that case Luv, you can't have a silver tea spoon - that's only for executives with a carpet in their office"....
I glumly took a plastic tea spoon realising I had never made it to the top in DCA. When all my mates on the 4th floor of DCA HQ heard about this, they all dashed out at lunch time and bought silver spoons and hung them high on their office doors as an indication of their high aspirations to be top dogs with carpeted offices in the Public Service.
Last edited by Tee Emm; 22nd Dec 2010 at 13:35.
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Head of $afety.........hmmmm interesting title although it's doubtful that anything will be done to change a festering culture that discourages reporting and persecutes those that intervene to stop unsafe practices.
When you have a risk management system that is build on off balance sheet cost mitigation, then the 'Head of Safety' needs to have a lot of hands on aviation experience, a thick skin and an airtight exit clause in their contract.
The Q $afety Management System is a shambles as evidenced in the results of the recent Group Safety Survey.
.........and just like a CASA tough talk editorial, another over rated QF Exec salary will do little to fix the problem.
AT
When you have a risk management system that is build on off balance sheet cost mitigation, then the 'Head of Safety' needs to have a lot of hands on aviation experience, a thick skin and an airtight exit clause in their contract.
The Q $afety Management System is a shambles as evidenced in the results of the recent Group Safety Survey.
.........and just like a CASA tough talk editorial, another over rated QF Exec salary will do little to fix the problem.
AT
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I did the google search thing without any real information turning up because I have never heard of Susan D’Ath Weston.
Has anybody else?
Has anybody else?
Head of $afety.........hmmmm interesting title although it's doubtful that anything will be done to change a festering culture that discourages reporting and persecutes those that intervene to stop unsafe practices.
When you have a risk management system that is build on off balance sheet cost mitigation, then the 'Head of Safety' needs to have a lot of hands on aviation experience, a thick skin and an airtight exit clause in their contract.
When you have a risk management system that is build on off balance sheet cost mitigation, then the 'Head of Safety' needs to have a lot of hands on aviation experience, a thick skin and an airtight exit clause in their contract.
I wish her all the best, a kevlar vest to protect her back is my only advice......
did the google search thing without any real information turning up because I have never heard of Susan D’Ath Weston.
Has anybody else?
Has anybody else?
I have a few friends/contacts in the Aviation Safety fraternity and none of them are "linked in" with Ms D'Ath Weston.
I have a lot of friends who are members of AAvPA.. none of them are "linked in" with Ms D'Ath Weston.
I have peers in the safety department of Jetstar... none of them appear "linked in" with Ms D'Ath Weston.
I am not for a moment suggesting that internet social networking sites are related to one's suitability for a job... but I note that the GM of safety systems at Virgin is "Linked In" with 139 others (thant's 139-nil, sports fans), SOME of whom are working in the field of aviation (or other industrial) safety. Very few in airline catering
One of the most important parts of any safety role (IMNSHO) is being able to communicate with people on any level of the business.Pretty scary I reckon.
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Very few in airline catering 
Perhaps Mrs D'Ath Watson is 'linked in' with The Little Fella, Strong James, JG and even Darth on Face#ook instead ?
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Thanks for the info Cactus and Horatio
Even though I know one or two people in this aviation safety game, none were able to shed any light on her background, qualifications or where she had been.
No one infact even knew her.
tipsy
Even though I know one or two people in this aviation safety game, none were able to shed any light on her background, qualifications or where she had been.
No one infact even knew her.
tipsy
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This wouldn't be the lady that ran Bundy Helicopters (sorry helicopter) for a little while and sat on the Bundaberg International Airshow Board that then went to PacBlue would it? Catered Qlink out of the Cafe in the terminal.
http://www.widebayaust.com.au/pdfs/c..._Sept_2005.pdf
Last edited by Oakape; 24th Dec 2010 at 04:46.
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If she is a friend of Quentin Bryce then God help you.
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i infact, do know her.
her qualifications, skill and anything else in the matter are all up to, if not beyond what you would expect from a person in her position. i do wish people would understand what they are talking about...
honestly people, who of you are really able to comment on her when you have even admitted that you dont know her....... really upsets me actually.
her qualifications, skill and anything else in the matter are all up to, if not beyond what you would expect from a person in her position. i do wish people would understand what they are talking about...
honestly people, who of you are really able to comment on her when you have even admitted that you dont know her....... really upsets me actually.
Murray D'ath Weston ?
You googling your name ?
As much excitement as you probably had, enough to make an account and post on pprune, he was probably talking about a different Murray, who one who involved in Qantas Engineering management and figured prominently in the last EBA dispute.
So prominently he now no longer works at Qantas.
You googling your name ?
As much excitement as you probably had, enough to make an account and post on pprune, he was probably talking about a different Murray, who one who involved in Qantas Engineering management and figured prominently in the last EBA dispute.
So prominently he now no longer works at Qantas.
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LinkedIn - are you kidding?
Using someone's number of linkedin connections as a measure of how good they are at communicating - please spare me. Did you check out her facebook page as well?
The higher up a person is in an organization, the less something like LinkedIn is helpful.
You will have to do better than that to discredit someone.
The higher up a person is in an organization, the less something like LinkedIn is helpful.
You will have to do better than that to discredit someone.
Last edited by unseen; 1st Aug 2011 at 13:22. Reason: .
