[Peetwo]

Murky's mob take the lead on Forsyth review progress -

Today M&M released the following for industry comment: Modernising Airspace Protection Public Consultation Paper - December 2016

This DoIRD initiative was instigated in proactive response to the findings of the Forsyth Panel and written into the ASRR report.

Page 23 of the ASRR report:

Protection of airport flight paths and operations: While noting the significant work undertaken in the past four years through the National Airports Safeguarding Framework, the Panel considers that the protection of airport flight paths and operations from the encroachment of on- and off-airport developments is becoming an urgent policy issue. There is an emerging risk to the long-term viability of Australia’s existing aviation infrastructure. The issues are complex, crossing jurisdictions and levels of government, meaning that no single agency is able to deliver the required outcomes. However, as the agency responsible for on-airport planning issues at the 21 federally leased airports, and as the lead agency on aviation and airport issues, the Department must take a policy leadership role to ensure that the future viability of airport infrastructure is not compromised by poor planning and land-use decisions.

These and other findings led to the Forsyth panel recommending that:

The Panel recommends that:

1. The Australian Government develops the State Safety Program into a strategic plan for Australia’s aviation safety system, under the leadership of the Aviation Policy Group, and uses it as the foundation for rationalising and improving coordination mechanisms.
   
   
2. The Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development plays a stronger policy role in the State Safety Program.
   

 
Here is a summary, courtesy of Oz Aviation, that highlights the possible long term implications of the M&M department report:

Government launches discussion paper on protecting airspace
December 15, 2016 by australianaviation.com.au
An aerial image of Brisbane Airport. (Brisbane Airport)

Australia’s Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development has released a public consultation paper on proposed reforms that aim to modernise the laws protecting the airspace around airports.

The paper, titled, Modernising Airspace Protection, proposes a number of reforms to existing legislation following an examination of the legislative, regulatory and administrative arrangements in relation to airspace protection, obstacle and hazard mitigation, military airfields, communications, navigation and surveillance (CNS) equipment and rules covering tall structures around aerodromes.

The review, which was prompted by the 2014 Aviation Safety Regulation Review report, was conducted by the Department in consultation with Airservices, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and Department of Defence.

“Infrastructure found a number of regulatory gaps ranging from outdated regulatory approaches failing to provide suitable transparency and accountability for Commonwealth decision-making and/or creating uncertainty where regulations were absent or ambiguous, to regulatory overlap due to legacy regulations still being in force, and considerable scope for improvement in regulatory oversight,” the discussion paper said.
Specifically, the report noted the process for the establishment of prescribed airspace by the operator of a leased federal airport was not clearly defined.

“The current airspace regulations under the Airports Act need to be modernised and streamlined to enable the future safe and efficient growth of these nationally important transport hubs in conjunction with facilitating appropriate urban density policies of State, Territory and Local governments,” the paper said.

“Neither the Airports Act nor the CA [Civil Aviation] Act obliges the proponent of an application for intrusion into prescribed airspace to demonstrate an understanding of the implications of the intrusion.

“The proponent seems to bear a disproportionately small responsibility for introducing a hazard into navigable airspace, whilst the operator of the airport and Commonwealth aviation agencies are expected to undertake detailed and resource intensive assessments of such proposals within short timeframes.”

In addition to modernising airspace protection, the proposed reforms also cover protection of the national communications, navigation and surveillance (CNS) network, as well as measures to improve safety for low-flying aircraft, including commercial operations and aerial emergency search and rescue services.

“Given their economic, social and community role it is important that Australia’s major airports are protected from intrusions into navigable airspace, which would diminish aviation safety and limit future aviation-related expansion plans, such as building new runways,” the paper said.

“A critical part of regulating airports is in ensuring obstacle-free airspace is available for aircraft during approach, landing and take-off.”

Public submissions were due before February 28 2017.

The full discussion paper can be read on the Department’s website.

Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester said the paper proposed a modern, consultative and risk-based approach to airspace proaction around airports and critical aviation CNS facilities, as well as options for better protection of low-flying aircraft from hazards operating away from airports.

“I am looking forward to feedback from interested parties as we work toward modernising airspace protection in Australia,” Chester said.

And this was miniscule (I have NFI what I am doing but I look good) Chester's take on his department's fluffy report:

Airspace protection the focus of new discussion paper
Media Release
DC230/2016
15 December 2016

• Public Consultation Paper released outlining plans to modernise airspace protection
  
• Paper covers a range of proposals to protect critical aviation infrastructure while enabling better airport and off-airport planning
  
• Submissions open until 28 February 2017
  

National airspace protection is the focus of a new consultation paper released today, with stakeholder feedback being sought on a range of proposals to modernise airspace regulatory arrangements.

Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester said the paper aims to generate engagement with government, industry and community stakeholders on better approaches to this complex issue.

“The paper proposes a modern, consultative and risk-based approach to airspace protection around airports and critical aviation communications, navigation and surveillance facilities,” Mr Chester said.

“It also considers options to better protect low-flying aircraft from hazards operating away from airports.

“I am looking forward to feedback from interested parties as we work toward modernising airspace protection in Australia,” Mr Chester said.

Submissions on the paper will be accepted until 28 February 2017.

To view the Paper and for details on how to make a submission, visit:
https://infrastructure.gov.au/aviation/a...index.aspx

Call me cynical but IMO I think this is another attempt at political and bureaucratic distraction/obfuscation because today there was a serious collective industry shot across miniscule 4D's manicured and coiffured front end...

Update 15/12/16: "Dear Minister Chester.." 

Courtesy of AAAA CEO Phil Hurst - TAAAF Communiqué

Just saying -


MTF...P2