(Q) Heaven or Hell? (A) It depends on your perspective.
I’m just amazed at the ease with which ‘they’ get away with it. Dolan, Sangston, Walsh and the invisible Manning just expect, with some certainty to be allowed to continue on the road to perdition without let or hindrance. Open contempt for the Senate committee followed by the endless game of providing non answers to serious questions.
For 16 years air services, essential to Norfolk Island, have been plagued by the vagaries of weather forecasting, which is a tough enough job for the Met crew, without the ‘other’ elements such as budgets and disregard for passenger safety. Passenger safety depends, solely and wholly on the integrity of the flight crew. The whole weight of aviation law rests on the one or two heads ‘up front’ driving the bus, there is no wriggle room for them, no ‘joint’ responsibility and probably little company support in the event of an ‘incident’.
The Pel-Air ditching provided a perfect example of how this works and will for the foreseeable future continue to work. Did the flight crew bugger it up? of course they did. But they had lots of help and yet only one of that flight crew has been severely punished and continues to be punished. BoM, off the hook; CASA off the hook; ASA off the hook; Minister off the hook; company off the hook; even so, all played a part in the incident, all contributed. The Rev Forsyth did his level best; the TSBC did what they could and a bit more; the ABC even tried to focus attention; the Senate inquiry vainglorious in it’s attempt now patiently awaiting a second report. The ToR for that report were so narrow that the report, if it ever eventuates will be nugatory before the ink is dry – if anyone with the power to change things ever deigns to skim through the executive summary.
To the likes of the IOS, this has to stop. However, the real question to my mind is why would those ‘in power’ want to stop such a perfect system? It has worked so very well, time and time again; withstood some tremendous attacks and proven to be ‘the’ perfect defence for the minister and government.
Aye, it’s a worry; but not to those hiding behind the pot plants or listening to whispered instructions before entering the ring for a rigged bout, knowing the fix is in. Despicable? You bet. Fact of life? That also.
Toot - toot.
I’m just amazed at the ease with which ‘they’ get away with it. Dolan, Sangston, Walsh and the invisible Manning just expect, with some certainty to be allowed to continue on the road to perdition without let or hindrance. Open contempt for the Senate committee followed by the endless game of providing non answers to serious questions.
For 16 years air services, essential to Norfolk Island, have been plagued by the vagaries of weather forecasting, which is a tough enough job for the Met crew, without the ‘other’ elements such as budgets and disregard for passenger safety. Passenger safety depends, solely and wholly on the integrity of the flight crew. The whole weight of aviation law rests on the one or two heads ‘up front’ driving the bus, there is no wriggle room for them, no ‘joint’ responsibility and probably little company support in the event of an ‘incident’.
The Pel-Air ditching provided a perfect example of how this works and will for the foreseeable future continue to work. Did the flight crew bugger it up? of course they did. But they had lots of help and yet only one of that flight crew has been severely punished and continues to be punished. BoM, off the hook; CASA off the hook; ASA off the hook; Minister off the hook; company off the hook; even so, all played a part in the incident, all contributed. The Rev Forsyth did his level best; the TSBC did what they could and a bit more; the ABC even tried to focus attention; the Senate inquiry vainglorious in it’s attempt now patiently awaiting a second report. The ToR for that report were so narrow that the report, if it ever eventuates will be nugatory before the ink is dry – if anyone with the power to change things ever deigns to skim through the executive summary.
To the likes of the IOS, this has to stop. However, the real question to my mind is why would those ‘in power’ want to stop such a perfect system? It has worked so very well, time and time again; withstood some tremendous attacks and proven to be ‘the’ perfect defence for the minister and government.
Aye, it’s a worry; but not to those hiding behind the pot plants or listening to whispered instructions before entering the ring for a rigged bout, knowing the fix is in. Despicable? You bet. Fact of life? That also.
Toot - toot.