[Peetwo]

But - Can you handle the truth?

“Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened.”

It took one coffee and a smoke to read and digest the undeniable truth and impeccable logic presented in the latest AMROBA newsletter. The results of the CASA meddling with ICAO visible to industry; the solutions clearly enunciated.

Clearly and undeniably the top draw at CASA have engineered the current situation; why is a question for another day. The urgent question begging answer is how fast can they undo the mischief?

That answer lays firmly and squarely with the DAS and the board. The will and the courage to make the logical changes must emanate from them; the urgency undeniable. A two year 'study' into ways and means will not suffice; industry needs to be unshackled and returned to a first world status, now - now. The facts provided in the AMROBA newsletter cannot be denied; nor obfuscated or excused in some whimsical, pseudo philosophical mumbo jumbo. The minister in not an unintelligent person, the business opportunities being denied to the Australian aviation industry is border line criminal. The facts have been presented - time to bring in the repair crews.


“Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.”

Ten short minutes needed to grasp the problem - seconds to decide to act for the benefit of this nation, a week needed to bring in the expertise to unbutton the mess. Pick up the phone Minister - make it happen - just do it and put an end this travesty.

Please explain - What's the hold up?

Toot - toot.

Addendum: Sandy and KC in agreement??

K this kind of fits...  

Via email chain:

Ken,

I’ve just read your newsletter which I found on AP. 

I think this is excellent work, enhanced as it is with graphics and photos, and showing the new leaders that have the power to make the changes we know must take place. This clearly sets out a viable pathway.

I’ve thought for some time that the independent corporate model of governance is wrong and can’t work long term. I’m sure that inserting into the Act certain principles would go much of the distance, but in essence we will still come up against the inflexible, and inevitably self serving, nature that tends to come with such bodies. Just the fact that, in this instance, CASA can be sued as an entity will tend to cause it to protect itself. Also the ability to set for itself ‘commercial’ rates of pay is a factor that will cause it to invent permits and increase fees and generally boost it’s own importance. 

For our democracy and free enterprise to provide opportunities and prosperity there must be a definite line of accountability through our elected representatives in the administration of areas like aviation. Only via the political sphere, in the wider sense, not party political, can community values and expectations be expressed.  I can’t see a better way for aviation than reverting to Ministerial responsibility through a Department. 

Appreciate your thoughts and I think we are indebted to you and AMROBA’s tenacity and hard work. 

Best,        

Sandy 

Hope your newsletter can be circulated widely amongst MPs.

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Sandy,
 
The COAG General Competition Principles are entrenched in the Anti Competition Acts.
Though we were bound by tthese in my time, I believe DASA John McCormick dropped these principles.
Our discussion with Pip today confirmed they are trying to make things work without a commitment yet to change.
I got the impression they are trying to adopt the FAR requirements.
 
Yes, I totally agree, Ben is working on obtaining all GA associations, around 30 plus, to co-sign the proposal we have devloped.
Agree it should be sent to all Federal Politicians.
 
CASA’s past DASs have spent a decade of submitting RISs that obviiously did not address competion resulting in the damage to GA.
 
Regards
 
Ken Cannane

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Ken,

Thanks for that update, working with MPs is our best hope in my view. I hope Ben fares better than previous attempts to get agreement across all GA bodies, and if not put our case sooner rather than wait for more to come on board. As you point out the status quo in some areas suits those operators who have done the hard yards and spent a bucket load of cash to satisfy the greedy maw of CASA.

So the CASA CEO Pip Spence is not committed to change which seems odd if she is trying to adopt the FARs.

The devil's advocate in me asks if she is in charge why "try to adopt"? Why not say "we will adopt"? Maybe its easier to talk about it, we better have another inquiry, dust off all those previous submissions folks, or wait for Senator McDonald's two year regurgitation to grind to a halt, then to drop precisely into the same black hole as all the other inquiries.

There's no way that working with the present rules and structure of CASA, if that is what is meant, can result in any real improvements. Hopefully the qualifier "yet" will translate to reform but without Minister Barnaby Joyce requiring reform and change, I don't expect the CEO to make much difference. Ms Spence has been in position already for months and not one telling change has happened to give the staff of CASA any real discomfort, let alone a substantive reform giving heart to General Aviation, correct me if I've missed something. Ms. Spence could have already given relief through instructions to AVMED, and commenced any number of reforms from the Forsyth report and around the ASIC question via Home Affairs.

Sandy

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Sandy,
 
Agree. At least they are trying to make the US independent FI system fit under the regs.
Once they do the exercise, they will come to the conclusion that amendments are required.
In the meantime, we need to lobby the pollies.
 
Regards
 
 
Ken Cannane

MTF...P2