Airservices CEO resigns

[Kharon]

No excuses

One way to effectively change this situation is to get it all out there, in public. Once the Pollies are made aware and then fail to act, the next incident can be sheeted directly home to them, not individuals. Imagine the headlines –

Government failed to act despite repeated, expert industry warnings.

Tax payers short changed to provide sumptuous lunches and spousal travel while air traffic safety hits new lows.

Remove any shadow of spin doubt that there exists an increased risk factor to air safety and that you made certain that the politicians were aware of it before hand. There are many options available here and I'm sure that within the ranks of the ASA there are a couple of folks who could knock out a ministerial briefing including:-

Report: a no confidence motion in the CASA to conduct, within a reasonable time frame any sort of no nonsense, spin free meaningful audit.

Report: a no confidence motion in the ATSB to produce an independent report, not a cut a paste refection of the CASA nonsense.

Report: to the travelling public detailing how they are ripped off to produce an additional 100 million dollars profit. The financial aspects of this alone are worth a front page story; seriously disgusting when you remember that the tax payer provides all of these monies, then pays again to provide a huge profit after bonuses and roughts. .

Report: to the public detailing how an additional 1000 clerical staff are simply cannon fodder to assist in producing the required 'efficiencies' when the boom is lowered.

Report: detailing the piss poor training standards for the trickle of new ATC staff partially trained on simulators that don't work and reliant on 'tick a box' self study modules.

Report: the measurable lack of in flight protection due to shortages of qualified, experienced coal face troops.

Report the deep fatigue levels of the operational staff, which combined with fear, backstabbing, bullying and general worry creates serious, tangible safety related issues.

It may achieve sweet Fanny Adams but, if the unthinkable happens, or the unthinkable continues to nearly happen, then at least with a clear conscience you can say – we warned you.

Further more children, you can sleep at night in the full knowledge that 'he who must not be named' is out there, fighting to protect the whistle blowers, it's his new mission in life. Yes?.

GD -Now I'm hearing that Herr Skull may also be leaving the building prior to his contract ending. But the bad thing is that rumour has it the 'Richard Dreyfuss look-alike' will get to sit in the angry mans chair.

Mate – not even the Ring Master could be that dumb, that Patza is a proven operational disaster area, just look at the track record in WA and remember; the Golden West boys are all over East now, clinging to their places on the slippery pole. Anyone who cares about aviation in this country must not allow the GW mob to gain power. Perhaps the Butson ruling will change things – I hope so.

[Jabawocky]

Should I put an application in?

Strengths;
Not been polluted by government.
Successfully run business for last, too bloody long.....
Has some idea about how to provide a service
Has some idea on how aviation works
Doesn't take **** from airline CEO's like AJ
Gets **** done rather than consult and meet and forget what it was we were doing
Hates spending money on **** that is not needed, loves spending on what is actually needed.

Weaknesses;
Tells it how it is, not always diplomatic.
Does not suffer fools lightly, and offers career alternatives to those who are not up to the task.
Dislike for lawyers and accountants who do nothing but build empires they run thinking that is the business we are in. Most likely to sack them.

I have no need for lavish expenses bills on entertaining the three major customers and three minor customers. About $5K a year would do that.

When do I start?

[ER_BN]

Jaba,

In a sane universe you would be a shoe in...

But in Oz at the moment your strengths are weaknesses and your weaknesses are "weaknesses".....

Sigh

[Jack Ranga]

Surely the rumour isn't Steph???

Jaba, you are too good for the joint

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

Sorry Jab,

You wouldn't last beyond next Thursday mate....too many entrenched 'obstacles' and attitudes.....
Have seen it from the inside - albeit in another 'life' and now 'some time ago'....
Too many 'in de middle' managers protecting their own turf and perks....

Was a great 'delight' when one of our 'local' managers who did absolutely NOTHING for his troops, went the way of the dodo.....

Didn't change much of the 'overall' picture though!

Cheers

[Kharon]

Perhaps - one day

This movie has a lot to answer for Shirley.

Oldie but a goodie.

[Up-into-the-air]

asa and

Ferris's quote is spot on:

Why does resigning absolve you of what you have done?

The resignation letter is used in many government organisations as a way of "absolving" all the sins.

This is not so - take a close look at the Craig Thompson affair. CT is being now placed in a situation to answer for his "adduced" sins by Fair Work Australia, albeit, taking three years to investigate. A precedent and a "shiver in the boots" of all those non-compliant CEO's.

In the big world, ASIC frown upon the miscreant Director and there are substantial penalties attached.

Big salary - Big penalty when you get it wrong.

This may just explain why there are large and viscous legal departments in casa - Have not looked at ASA yet!!

[virginexcess]

People like Angus don't rise to the top by being great on the shooting range and always keeping their shoes shining. They get to the top of the Forces by knowing how to play the game well, sliding over others, being strategic yes men and developing a knack for bureaucratic spin mastery.

With all due respect to you Gobbledock, people like Angus do rise to the top without doing all of the above.

If you recall the children overboard affair, Angus was DCDF and acting CDF while the Admiral was on leave. As soon as he took over the acting role he stood up and publicly backed the Navy against the government. In effect he stood up and said the military do not lie, the government is spinning this story. He took on Howard and not only did he win that battle, he was promoted and became the longest serving CDF in memory.

Angus is exactly the calibre of person needed in these sorts of bureaucratic jobs. Having said that, i doubt that even he can overcome the entrenched bureaucracy and @rse covering found in ASA and CASA.

[C-change]

Poor Angus,

As CDF, he only had 300 RAAF controllers to worry about.

Now look what has has to deal with !

Good luck.

[gobbledock]

Blackhand, you are waisting your time trying to bait me, I'm not interested.

Virginexcess, on a deadly serious note I am more than happy to be proved wrong. The 'core' people at ASA deserve far better than what they have been copping. The woeful mess and the stressful conditions being pounded on top of an already stressful job by management Nimrods is disgraceful, unethical and downright dangerous. If Angus does a beaut job and turns the organization around then nothing would be more pleasing.
But, and there is always a but, I recall Cosgrove being 'da man', Mr Fantastic and look what he has done at QF?? A man for the people? A trooper? Loyal to the troops, to the frontline people? hmmmmm.

[Kharon]

Plagiarised Wisdom.

Cropped this from another thread; the writer certainly knows how the world wags. Whilst I reserve the right to occasionally (but respectfully) disagree, this time the nail has been well and truly hit on it's head. Scary stuff.

Creampuff.
The last thing either side of politics wants to do is intervene and take control of anything, because then the spotlight of responsibility would move from the fall-guy bureaucrats to the politicians.

First and foremost, whichever side is in government, they both rely on the same bureaucrats to keep the heat off the government.

Who is that most downunda pruners blame for every aviation ill? CASA. And that suits both sides of politics very nicely, thank you very much. From governments’ perspective, CASA is doing a splendid job, notwithstanding that CASA actually achieves almost nothing of substance.

The second, more insidious, issue is that there are very few people left in politics who actually know anything about anything of substance. You now have a generation of politicians whose life experience prior to being elected comprised mainly of working as a staffer for a politician. (That’s why Peter Costello felt entitled to ‘take back’ ‘his’ seat from his staffer to whom the Liberals ‘gifted’ the seat.) Those politicians have also surrounded themselves with staffers who’ve never actually achieved anything other than going to Uni and joining a political party.

The thing seems to work like a shunt bus, lots of circuit breakers before the main event gets shorted, think of Christmas tree lights. Incoming Angus has a hell of a job to do; if the Minister and the mandarins are chuffed to bits with the current AsA the 100 million profit and very nicely insulated (thank you) against the remote chance of repercussions, the title Mission Impossible springs to mind.

The troops will cooperate and morale may improve but if the thing is rotten at the very top and he is relying on the middle levels for a solid footing the chances for real and meaningful change appear limited.

I would wish Angus or whoever accepts the position well, but standing alone as piggy in the middle, he may not be able to answer a pagans prayer.

[blackhand]

I recall Cosgrove being 'da man', Mr Fantastic and look what he has done at QF?? A man for the people? A trooper? Loyal to the troops, to the frontline people? hmmmmm.

Mmmm so neither Angus nor Cosgrove were any good at their jobs?
You know as much about the defence force as you know about Senate Estimate Committees or running an Aviation business

[gobbledock]

Ok Blacky, I will give in just a little, but then it is back to the jungle for you fixing those postie bikes ok?
I don't recall saying that Angus or Cosgrove didn't do a good job in their previous roles in Defence. I think you are high on two stroke fumes.
I said that in their previous roles they rose to the top by playing the political game, and their is a measure of spin, BS and ass licking in those roles, I know what I know without having to explain that to you.
As for senate estimates and other assorted senate activities again I have more of an inside working understanding than you could ever imagine, but again I am not obligated to explain that to you.

Now you be on your way to some remote atoll where perhaps a float plane or even an 8 foot tinnie with a 15 horse power Johnstone motor needs repairing. Just follow the planes chemtrails and you will find it!

[C-change]

One thing that Angus did whilst he was CDF in 2010 that impressed me, was to take time out of his busy day to ring one of his controllers, who only had a few weeks to live and thank him for his years of service and effort. They had a lengthy chat about all kinds of things.

Not many CEO's / company chiefs would bother to do that.

[blackhand]

I said that in their previous roles they rose to the top by playing the political game, and their is a measure of spin, BS and ass licking in those roles,

Yea sure, carrying a rifle and leading men in the jungle sure teaches you how to lick ass and to BS.

[Kharon]

Trolls for Dummies.

Trolls are there to get a rise out of people. They’re not polite and not ashamed getting in a zinger. They call names and make accusations and rarely do they sound anything but angry.


Trolls rarely add anything of value to the conversation. When trolls respond to a community discussion, they don’t add anything meaningful to the discussion. Instead, they joke, berate, and insult.


Guys - Don't feed the Troll.

[blackhand]

MMm so a troll is anyone who disagrees with Kharon and his doppleganger.
Mi les pinis

[Jack Ranga]

Alright, I'm going to repeat: There were 840 odd new jobs created at ASA over a couple of years. Over those years ATC numbers have remained static (at best). It has been identified that we have a serious problem with ATC numbers yet the esteemed 'Learning Academy' was allowed to conduct a social experiment on the basis of 'Anybody can do ATC.' Mind you, this coming from somebody who'd NEVER done ATC, NEVER worked in the industry prior BUT was obviously a 'yes man.'

In the background we have another little empire building in Canberra. People and Change........People and Change, what a nice little feel good title that is (I digress). These people implement the 'black list,' Australian controllers that left for an overseas experience (yes, some of them shat in their nest by mouthing off before leaving). Some of them wont be re-employed no matter how desperate we are. Along with their black list are controllers who may have left because the job demands were getting to them (shiftwork). A period outside, they decide it wasn't so bad and want to come back. Jump in line brother because you are about to go through the whole process again. We can't have people who aren't the 'right fit' even if they are technically proficient. Doesn't matter that some fool who hasn't ever been an ATC is judging the 'right fit' (message for P&C, we managed for many, many years without the likes of you making the decision, but, I digress, this is not about ATC, this is about empires)

So, lets recap:

1. ASA's core business is AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL. Our CEO fronts some sham organisation and tells them 'We aren't ATC's, we're Air Traffic Enablers.' Can you believe that? Do you wonder why, with that previous statement there's an inquiry being conducted into the rate and type of BOS's that are occuring? No, TFN, we're Air Traffic Controllers, if we can enable, we will, if we can't it's for a pretty good reason.

2. There is a known problem with ATC numbers.

3. Yet the organisation swells by 840 people but none of them are ATC's. My point: Priorities????

4. There is a 'hate cell' in Canberra. ATC's are the enemy, it doesn't matter that this is our CORE BUSINESS. The more empires that TFN builds that fill out the sham staff survey and praise him the more it cushions his arse.

5. The 'manager' of the 'Learning Academy' was caught out several times slagging ATC's. It doesn't matter that she's never put on a headset, made the decisions (sometimes wrong), lived by the decisions, done the medicals or have her performance scrutinised the way we are. Every single word we say is recorded. I wonder how some of her statements/conversations would reflect on the organisation if they were ever to be known.

6. A CEO that hasn't got the balls to front the senate and explain the above, nup, runs off early with a nice little package, bank the bonus before it all turns to sh!t.

[blackhand]

Thanks for that Jack. Finally someone from the organisation in question.
I was interested what your CEO said about the numbers at the coal face.
Seemed to me to be a disconnect between my perception of increased aircraft movements and his intimation that there was no increase in workload.

Hopefully the empire building will be stopped, but I doubt that an Estimates hearing, which is to do with the Appropriation Bills, will do this.

[Jack Ranga]

Blackhand, the number of movements have increased fairly steadily for the last 10 years, they have exploded in some areas (W.A. etc). Now some will tell you how much traffic the US moves, yes, they move an extroadinary amount of traffic BUT THEY DON'T HAVE SECTORS THE SIZE WE DO!

We move more and more traffic every day with the same amount of controllers, we are amongst the most efficient in the world when it comes to movements verse staff members. You will get no thanks from ASA for what you do.

We have a refurb of 'empire central' in Canberra where our participants are invited to choose their favourite chair! I can show you photos of chairs in the centre that haven't been replaced for 10 years with the fabric worn through where your legs rest on it. I'd say 30-40% of the seat backs are broken or defective. BUT, let's make sure the haters in Canberra are sorted.