[Peetwo]

Additional Estimates 22/03/21: The DARD (& agencies) - 

Competence and action in pictures, via Youtube: Ms Christine Darcey and the DARD (Chocfrog nominee -   )

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Versus these industry and taxpayer bloated, self-serving, self-preserving and arrogant sycophants...    

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Plus via 'Tabled Documents':

 Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications
 Responses to Senator Sterle's written questions
 22 March 2021
 PDF 12,002KB

 Senator Murray Watt
 Tourism Aviation Support Network Program
 22 March 2021
 PDF 557KB

 Senator Murray Watt
 Sydney Morning Herald article titled 'Angry Nats pushing change to aviation support package'
 22 March 2021
 PDF 591KB

 Senator Susan McDonald
 Airservices submission to the CASA preliminary review of Hobart Airspace
 22 March 2021
 PDF 8,377KB

 Senator Susan McDonald
 Correspondence regarding CASA's Hobart Class C airspace
 22 March 2021
 PDF 1,861KB

 Senator Glenn Sterle
 Stainless steel fastener standards
 22 March 2021
 PDF 16,580KB

Hansard out - 

Via the hard working APH Hansard team - 

Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee
22/03/2021
Estimates
INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS PORTFOLIO
Civil Aviation Safety Authority

Hmm...still trying to get my head around this - 

CHAIR: I've got a couple of questions about a case that's just been completed in the Supreme Court but held in Mount Isa. Judge Henry said that he'd dismissed the jury—this is the Josh Hoch case—telling them that the case had been dropped. He said, 'Evidence linking Mr Hoch to the alleged crimes was lacking,' and he 'officially concluded it was not sufficient to pursue a case'. That is a case that was scheduled to go for three weeks and went for three days. After a 120,000-page brief of evidence, they didn't have enough evidence to get past three days. I understand that the police have been collecting evidence for CASA's trial against Mr Hoch. How is your confidence, in your case, now that it has just been thrown out after such a short amount of time and the judge was scathing in his comments?

A 120k brief of evidence - UFB! I can't even imagine what that looks like but I can imagine the Judge's incredulity when faced with such a mountain of paper. Is it any wonder the case was chucked out - 

However note the comments in bold from two of the most senior members of the current crop of self-serving, self-preserving, fat cat executives at CASA...  

 CHAIR: Alright. There is an interesting question—I guess this is potentially more for the police, but it applies to CASA as well—about what it costs you to collect this evidence for a prosecutor to take forward. Do you feel that the amount of time and effort you are taking to pursue some of these cases is reasonable and that the outcomes are reasonable?
Dr Aleck : By and large, yes, I do. Certainly in this case I do. Some very serious charges were laid, and some very serious issues were raised in this case.
CHAIR: For which it was found that he did not have a case to answer. The estimate is $300,000, at least.
Dr Aleck : That part I can't speak to, because we weren't involved in that, but that's one part of a much larger case. There are proceedings for Commonwealth and state offences as well.
CHAIR: But the Queensland police collected the evidence for both?
Dr Aleck : They were involved in much of it, but so were our investigators.
CHAIR: If you're satisfied, Dr Aleck, then we'll continue, but I just feel horrified for this person. After hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees and a case that's been thrown out, I hope that you have good grounds for proceeding and that they are reasonable and fair. I think this is an Australian who has been treated poorly.
Dr Aleck : I'm hopeful and confident that the case that CASA was involved in won't be thrown out, but that remains to be seen.
Mr Crawford : We believe it is reasonable and fair.
CHAIR: You believe it is reasonable and fair?
Mr Crawford : Yes. That's our position at the moment.

  
As I say UFB! 

MTF...P2