[Peetwo]

"The silence was deafening from Darren (OGAD) Chester??" -

Dick Smith steps back into the fray today...

Via the Oz:

Dick Smith calls for aviation report to be released

Dick Smith: ‘The report has to be released urgently so you can start fixing the problem.”

• The Australian
  
• 12:00AM September 22, 2017
  

Dick Smith is urging the release of a delayed landmark report into general aviation, saying it is important to arrest the decline in the sector.

The Australian has confirmed that the report by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics into general aviation is now expected to go to Transport Minister Darren Chester by the end of next month.

The report was commissioned last year by Mr Chester, who said it would “help get the public policy right to support growth in the sector”.

Mr Smith said: “The report has to be released urgently so you can start fixing the problem.”

He reiterated his fears for the sector. “General aviation is nearly destroyed in this country,” he said. “It is just the most terrible situation.”

The report was initially due to be completed by June 30, but Mr Chester’s office said BITRE was still finalising it.

“As BITRE has undertaken its work this year, it has become apparent that there is a need for more detailed data into the opportunities and threats facing the GA industry,” Mr Chester’s spokeswoman said.

The report by BITRE was commissioned after warnings that the sector had been hit by red tape and skyrocketing costs.

The Australian Aviation Associations Forum chairman Greg Russell said there had been a “lot of discussion” about the industry’s warnings about its decline and the BITRE study was important for getting hard numbers on the situation.

He said anecdotally some of his member organisations were warning the “industry continues to slide while we are waiting for this report to become available”.

“We’re looking for in the first instance the evidence to confirm what we think we know already, that the industry is declining,” he said. “Then we can start taking measures to correct what we think are the major problem areas. The reason this is important is the general aviation area traditionally has been the training ground for the airline pilots of tomorrow.”

Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Australia executive director Benjamin Morgan said he was fed up waiting for ­action on the decline in the sector. “More businesses have closed, more people have left the industry,” he said. “What we need is the government to have a position on these things.”

He said the delay on the report was “turning up the volume on what is deafening silence” on the needs of the general aviation sector.

Meanwhile the miniscule is sounding more & more like a State Transport Minister and flapping his gums about...err rail...

Press Conference
Subject: Melbourne–Brisbane Inland Rail preferred alignment route (Yelarbon to Gowrie)
21 September

...bridges...

Bridge replacement completed south of Moranbah
A new $6 million bridge over Cherwell Creek, south of Moranbah, is now complete, improving flood immunity, productivity and driver safety.

...roads...

Central Queensland's Saraji Road set for $2.9 million upgrade
Nearly $3 million is being invested to ensure a key corridor between Dysart and Moranbah is upgraded to better connect communities and businesses in the region.

...rail...

Last Queensland Inland Rail preferred section selected
Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester today announced the preferred corridor for the Yelarbon and Gowrie section of the Inland Rail project, which will transform regional economies.

...rail...

Government on the hunt for fresh fast rail proposals
High-quality proposals are now being sought for the development of business cases to bring faster rail to Australian urban and regional areas.

 
...and FDS - you guessed it - road again...

Tenders called to deliver Midland Highway works
Tenders are now open to deliver the next two major projects under the Midland Highway 10 Year Action Plan, with the upgrades set to improve road safety and save lives.

In case you think I am making it up here is a link for the 6D OGAD Media Release page: http://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/ch...index.aspx


MTF...P2