Fear not- Bob Brown's on the job............ Apparently....... he's signed on and locked & loaded- with Julia.

Ex Cyclone's post & quoted article:

S28

Bob Brown loves those parliamentary inquiries. :mad:

Whats the latest on the W.A ops?

I can understand the corruption, the underhandedness, even the waste of millions of dollars of taxpayers money, but what really turns my stomach, what makes me want to explode is .............

Mixing Metaphors, aaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrgh !!

and for the last time it's " CHAMPING at the bit ", no chomping, not itching, not bluddy clutching, C H A M P I N G :ugh:

;)

Faulkner to probe Defence contract scandal
Richard Baker
September 3, 2010
THE Defence Minister, John Faulkner, has promised a ''further examination'' of a $30 million contract scandal to fly Australian troops to the Middle East, while his department has suggested other authorities could be asked to investigate.

The Herald yesterday revealed how Defence's 2005 Middle East troop flight contract was compromised by Joint Movements Group officers David Charlton and John Davies, who passed inside information about the tender to the winning contractor, Strategic Aviation, which later employed them.

Confidential emails written during the 2005 tender showed Strategic Aviation directors referring to being ''fed'' information by Mr Charlton and to Mr Davies being ''very handy to get information to us''. Strategic Aviation has provided the Middle East troops' flights since 2005.

The Defence Department, which for a month has declined to answer specific questions about the Middle East troop charters, last night said the matters raised regarding Strategic Aviation's contract would be reviewed and referred to ''the appropriate authorities for action if necessary''.

The most likely authorities to investigate the tender process would be the Defence Department's Inspector General or the Australian Federal Police.

A spokesman for Senator Faulkner yesterday said that although the minister was constrained by caretaker conventions, he was confident the 2005 Middle East charter tender process would be subject to ''further examination''.

This year's Middle East charter tender process has also been hit with allegations of impropriety, with Mr Charlton again working in the Joint Movements Group while also having a consultancy arrangement with the winning firm, Adagold Aviation.

Senator Faulkner's spokesman said this year's Middle East troop flight contract, which Defence awarded to Adagold Aviation, had yet to be approved and was still being examined.

A Defence internal audit released last week cleared this year's Middle East tender process of any irregularities. The audit cleared Adagold Aviation and Mr Charlton of any wrongdoing.

However, the Herald yesterday reported that the audit did not fully address Adagold Aviation's controversial pursuit of South African defence contracts through its South African subsidiary. Adagold Aviation is also sensitive about its association with Mr Charlton, who in 2008 accompanied company executives in meetings with Danish military officials about a contract to fly the country's troops around Afghanistan.

Emails show Adagold staff have been told to tell any callers asking to speak to Mr Charlton to say that ''no David Charlton works at Adagol - nothing more''.

The Coalition defence spokesman, David Johnston, said he was concerned by the reports on the Middle East aviation contracts. ''Defence is clearly on notice to ascertain the factual basis underlying the media reports,'' he said.

Strategic Aviation has denied any wrongdoing in its dealings with Mr Charlton and Mr Davies. Mr Davies denied being involved with the 2005 tender and Mr Charlton could not be contacted. Adagold Aviation has declined to comment.

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Where's Clive :sad:

same place, exactly, as Evilc

Strategic BNE/PHE/DPS
 

heard that load factor is only around 50%. Not good considering they must have given away a few seats to media, industry etc. for launch flights a month ago.

50%? I heard 10%

Someone must have deep pockets, they spare no expense on advertising - panel screen in the KTA terminal promoting the virtues of the Bali service ex PHE...

Someone has stopped putting their hands in their pockets because all the flashy billboards on Airport Drive in Brisbane have been replaced, and the radio ads have ceased... They were in use for all of about a month :D

Word is the 330's wet leased to VB..

any truth to the rumour

I would assume not as VB have advertised A330 positions

Virgin Blue Recruitment: Attention

Not for line pilots.:hmm:

It just refuses to go away:

Probes on deal to fly troops

It shouldn't go away until the truth comes out and the industry is rid of both of Strategic and Adagold.

I have heard a rumour that this corruption issue may extend to another Government Department and operator through one of these organisations. It will be interesting to see just how far this goes.

Seems to be nearly an article a day lately:-

Police to probe $30m Defence deal

Richard Baker

September 14, 2010
THE Australian Federal Police has been asked to investigate possible criminal offences in the awarding of a $30 million-a-year contract to fly Australian troops to the Middle East.
The Defence Department last night released a statement saying it had referred its 2005 Middle East Area Operations contract to the AFP following revelations by The Age about two Australian Defence Force officers, David Charlton and John Davies, involved in the tender process passing inside information to the winning company, Strategic Aviation, which later employed the pair in senior management roles.
''Defence has assessed these allegations and determined that, if proven, they give rise to a range of potential criminal offences,'' the department said in a statement.

''As this matter is now in the hands of the Australian Federal Police, it would be inappropriate to comment further. The Minister for Defence has advised the Minister for Home Affairs this action has been taken.''
Defence also confirmed it was reviewing this year's Middle East aviation tender process amid allegations that information was leaked to the company named as preferred tenderer, Adagold Aviation.
Mr Charlton, an Army Reserve captain, is at the centre of both the 2005 and 2010 Defence contracts through his role in the Joint Movements Group, the unit responsible for the tender processes and the deployment of troops overseas.
Mr Charlton rejoined Defence last year following the $93 million collapse of his private airline, SkyAirWorld. He has also worked as a consultant to Adagold Aviation. An internal Defence audit last month found no irregularities in this year's Middle East troop flight tender.
But The Age yesterday reported Defence Department secretary Ian Watt has engaged an external auditor to review this year's tender process.
The 2005 and 2010 contracts will also face parliamentary scrutiny with the opposition and the Greens promising to support an inquiry.
Strategic Aviation has denied any wrongdoing in regard to the 2005 contract, saying it advised Defence of its plan to hire Mr Charlton and Mr Davies. The Age has been unable to contact Mr Charlton

Dont worry there is plenty more to come

So I believe...........could involve Cobham.

"People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones"

Perhaps they should remember that. Should have accepted they lost the tender and moved on, but no they carried on and will most likely never be used by any government department again.