[Gobbledock]

My sources tell me that there is much mayhem in the ATsB already, as the Hooded one rapidly sifts through all of Beakers layers of shit. Some swept carpet corners here, a locked cupboard there! In fact Hoody thought he was inheriting a modern playing field and A grade facility when in fact he has inherited an athletes village contaminated with faecal chloroforms, dodgy fire alarms and attack dogs armed with guns and knives. The only solid and robust tool left behind in the ATsB shed by Beaker is the antique collectable abacus!!!

Better cue the Peter Alan song complete with Hawaiian shirt and maracas. Tick tock alright, the race to the bottom continues unabated.......

#bringbackalan

[Peetwo]

WTD? - MH370 the PM & miniscule mixed messages  

Suspend, halt or end? Either way the messages coming out of Can'tberra on the ATSB led MH370 SIO search would appear to be becoming somewhat disjointed..

Via the Oz today... :

MH370 search halt despite ‘rogue pilot’

• Rick Wallace
  
• The Australian
  
• 12:00AM August 4, 2016
  

Journalist
Melbourne
@rickwallaceoz
[img=0x0]http://pixel.tcog.cp1.news.com.au/track/component/author/0e276581b5a11482c283ff9ad9da484a/?esi=true&t_product=the-australian&t_template=s3/austemp-article_common/vertical/author/widget&td_bio=false[/img]
Malcolm Turnbull has scotched the prospect that the MH370 search would be extended to cover the “rogue pilot” theory, revealing that there is an international agreement to halt the operation.

“There has been an agreement reached between the countries ­involved and the search will be coming to an end when it is completed,’’ he said yesterday.

The current search area is said to be based on projections that the pilots lost consciousness.

Just 10,000sq km of a 120,000sq km area of the designated sea floor remain to be scoured.

However, Transport Minister Darren Chester has rejected suggestions that the search for flight MH370 was looking in the wrong place and says the decision on the search site took into account FBI intelligence that flagged the possib­ility the plane’s captain hijacked and crashed the aircraft.

Mr Chester said there was nothing new in recent articles suggesting the FBI had intelligence showing Malaysia Airlines captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah had “flown” a similar illogical zigzag path to the plane’s trajectory on his home flight simulator.

“The ATSB team in evaluating the search area considered all available information, including that information, that was available to it,’’ he said in Melbourne.

“It had to rely on the facts, and the facts were the last satellite handshake with MH370 indicated that the highest-probability search area was that 120,000sq km area (southwest of Perth).

“As I said, there is still 10,000 square kilometres still to go and we remain hopeful of success.” Flight MH370 disappeared on March 8, 2014, with 239 passengers and crew aboard.

Contact was lost with the Beijing-bound aircraft after it took an unexpected flight path from Kuala Lumpur, turning back across Malay­sia before heading west.

Analysis of satellite and other data showed it flew for another six hours, information used to establish the search area.

Neither Mr Chester nor his US counterpart, Transport Secretary Anthony Foxx, who visited Melbourne yesterday, would comment on whether the FBI data should be released. “I have learned very well to let the FBI speak for the FBI and I have learned very well not to get in the middle of what the investigators have found and let them speak for themselves,’’ said Mr Foxx.

Mr Chester said Australia’s prim­ary responsibility was the under­sea search, and this data would be released in due course.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has come under increasing pressure to expand the search area to take into account the rogue pilot theory, which it has been accused of discounting in favour of a scenario involving ­decompression or a loss of oxygen killing the pilots.

The ATSB has fended off claims from Byron Bailey, a ­former commercial airline pilot critical of what he says is the ­bureau’s refusal to countenance the rogue-pilot theory, and others.

“For the purposes of its search, the ATSB has not needed to determine — and has made no claims — about what might have caused the disappearance of the aircraft,’’ it has said.
“For search purposes, the rele­v­ant facts and analysis most closely match a scenario in which there was no pilot intervening in the latter stages of the flight.

“We have never stated that ­hypoxia (or any other factor) was the cause of this circumstance.”

Some critics of the search have attributed the government’s ­refusal to publicly embrace the rogue-pilot theory to the wish to spare Malaysia the embarrassment of having to acknowledge its citizen took part in an act of terror.

Mr Chester did not respond to The Australian’s requests for comment on these claims.

Oh dear Chester ambushed again.. You would have thought that after his abysmal performance at Tamworth, that miniscule-NFI-4DPF's minders would have been better prepared for an off script media assault.

P2 comment: Could I suggest that the Murky Mandarin & the Hooded One need to either get a rope on Dumb Dancing Dazzling Dazza (the photogenic filter) Chester; or at least give him some new weasel worded lines to drone out at the appropriate times... 



MTF...P2

[Gobbledock]

Apparently Dazzling Dazza has engaged the FBI to try to find his hair brush, product, hair dye, hairdryer and selfie stick. It is believe that either Beaker pinched the items so he could manscape his beard, or Heff stole them as a practicle joke!

#bringbackalan

[P7_TOM]

P2 above - "[his]  US counterpart, Transport Secretary Anthony Foxx, who visited Melbourne yesterday, would comment on whether the FBI data should be released. “I have learned very well to let the FBI speak for the FBI and I have learned very well not to get in the middle of what the investigators have found and let them speak for themselves,’’ said Mr Foxx.

In even a friendly ambush, or church dance, it is important to be quick on your feet. Dazaa caught out again, flat footed, off the beat and with no ‘script’ to lean on got to dance with the wall flower.  Foxx, from the US of A, smarter and quicker waltzed out with the Belle of the ball.  Far too clever and savvy by half to invoke the FBI, who only hold a brief for, what?

The FBI.
is further vested by law and by Presidential directives with the primary role in carrying out investigations within the United States of threats to the national security. This includes the lead domestic role in investigating international terrorist threats to the United States, and in conducting counter intelligence activities to meet foreign entities' espionage and intelligence efforts directed against the United States.

Someone tackle Darren; or, tie his feet together to prevent him changing the foot in his mouth, for the other, every time he forgets his lines. And yet we still wonder why the world at large has trouble taking Australia seriously.  Please keep this muppet off stage; at least till it learns it's lines, properly.

[Peetwo]

P2 above - "[his]  US counterpart, Transport Secretary Anthony Foxx, who visited Melbourne yesterday, would comment on whether the FBI data should be released. “I have learned very well to let the FBI speak for the FBI and I have learned very well not to get in the middle of what the investigators have found and let them speak for themselves,’’ said Mr Foxx.

In even a friendly ambush, or church dance, it is important to be quick on your feet. Dazaa caught out again, flat footed, off the beat and with no ‘script’ to lean on got to dance with the wall flower.  Foxx, from the US of A, smarter and quicker waltzed out with the Belle of the ball.  Far too clever and savvy by half to invoke the FBI, who only hold a brief for, what?

The FBI.
is further vested by law and by Presidential directives with the primary role in carrying out investigations within the United States of threats to the national security. This includes the lead domestic role in investigating international terrorist threats to the United States, and in conducting counter intelligence activities to meet foreign entities' espionage and intelligence efforts directed against the United States.

Someone tackle Darren; or, tie his feet together to prevent him changing the foot in his mouth, for the other, every time he forgets his lines. And yet we still wonder why the world at large has trouble taking Australia seriously.  Please keep this muppet off stage; at least till it learns it's lines, properly.

P2 comment - In the following pic of Federal, State & Territory Transport and Infrastructure Ministers with Transport Secretary Foxx, spot the doer from the PF...



Please PM & Barnacle can we have the doer rather than the PF Muppet - pretty please?? 

Further update to our double foot in the mouth, DDDD miniscule on MH370, where it seems that Murky & Hoody have given the miniscule some new lines...

SKY AM Agenda—interview with David Speers

David Speers: Yeah, that is a real worry. We'll keep an eye on that one. I just want to get your thoughts too on MH370. You're under pressure, the Australian Government's under pressure to keep the search going, you and China and Malaysia recently announced that it will conclude after the current zone is searched. But we are seeing further signs pointing towards the pilot being responsible for bringing down the plane deliberately. What is your view on this theory, some say it's more than a theory now? Was the pilot responsible?

Darren Chester: Well, David, we need to keep in mind how the tripartite approach to this incident has been carried out. So, there is Malaysia, China and Australia all working very closely together. The Malaysians as the flag state for MH370 have responsibility for the investigation into the events leading up to the disappearance of MH370. Australia's role has been very much focused on the search. First of all, we're involved in the aircraft search- sorry, for the aerial search where we had our defence personnel doing a great job more than two years ago now and then we've moved on to the underwater search aspect of it now, relying on the best available analysis of the evidence where we had the last satellite handshake of MH370 indicated it was somewhere about 2600 kilometres west of Perth when it went into the ocean.

And we've targeted an area of 120,000 square kilometres for a very detailed underwater search. Now, we're about 90 per cent of our way through that search area, so about 10,000 square kilometres still to be searched and we're hopeful that we'll have some success in those remaining weeks and months out in the ocean but if we don't find the aircraft after that 120,000 square kilometres, the agreement between China, Malaysia and Australia is we will suspend the search awaiting any further credible evidence which would lead to a specific location so, we're not abandoning the search…

David Speers: [Interrupts] Well, the credible evidence is that the system you talk about, the satellite, the tracking systems were shut down. Now, there's of course evidence, apparently, about the pilot's home flight simulator tracking a very similar plot just a month before this and a flaperon that's been found, it was part of MH370, it was in a lowered position and the experts say that does indicate it was a controlled ditch by the pilot.

Darren Chester: So, David, this is what people need to understand here: our last factual bit of evidence was the satellite handshake which indicated the aircraft was descending rapidly in an area they call the seventh arc which has been the highest priority area, the focus area of the search. That doesn't change whether a simulated flight from weeks or months previously indicated something else, the actual fact is this is where we last had contact with the aircraft and I'm not in a position to second guess our experts. We've had world leading experts from Australia, from the ATSB, but also from Boeing and from around the world looking at the data we have and coming up with our highest priority search area. This is not guesswork—this is the best they can do with the evidence they have.

They are desperate to find this aircraft. We are talking about people who have dedicated the last 2.5 years of their life to it. They are working very hard on this, the crews on the ground- the search vessel crews out there, they are dealing with some of the most inhospitable conditions in the world, they are desperate to find this aircraft. They're talking about days out there, sometimes there's 20 metre seas. They are working very hard; they remain hopeful they're going to have success. We haven't had success at this stage but that doesn't mean we've given up hope and we're going to keep working through that last 10,000 square kilometres of the high priority search area. Then there'll be more analysis, if there's more credible evidence coming through which gives us a specific location where we can focus our efforts, then we'll look at it then.

But the Malaysian, Chinese and Australian Governments between them have put $200 million into this underwater search, $60 million of that has come from Australia. It's been the biggest search in aviation history, so it is of historic proportion but it's also been quite a heroic effort in terms of pushing the edge of human endurance out there in the ocean and pushing the envelope in terms of scientific understanding of the whole range of aspects that have to be considered as they analyse the data from MH370.

David Speers: Alright, Transport Minister, Darren Chester, we'll have to leave it there.

Thanks very much for joining us this morning.

Darren Chester: Thanks David.

MTF...P2

[Gobbledock]

Dear Darren

Pointless interview with Chester. All that interview achieved was to give Chester another selfie opportunity.

Dear Darren,

I am a taxpayer. My taxable income is used to pay for dipshits like you to swan around the world on 'feasibility studies' with your families. and pay for Politicians MBA's, Comcar's and interstate houses. My money is used to pay for billion dollar shitbox submarines, exorbitant superannuation schemes, outrageous salaries, and ridiculous election and Census costs....all for starters.
However, I permit you to redirect MY tax money into paying for a continuation of the search for MH370. I'm sure a few of my IOS comrades will also chip in. So please take our money, and for once use it wisely, go solve this mystery once and for all, put to bed the anguish and pain that the deceased's loved ones are agonisingly enduring. If you can spend billions of OUR tax money on pink batts and school fences then I am confident that there are enough of us out there that are happy to pay for the search to continue. You see, some of us (the IOS, not the politicians) have a moral compass, a conscience, a sense of right from wrong, that is why we make up the IOS, and you don't. Like the Nike man says, 'just do it'.

Kind regards
P_666

[Kharon]

Irresistible force paradox.

"Wiki – “The paradox arises because it rests on two incompatible premises: that there can exist simultaneously such things as irresistible forces and immovable objects. The "paradox" is flawed because if there exists an irresistible force, it follows logically that there cannot be any such thing as an immovable object and vice versa”.

Despite the paradox – we need to move an immovable object. Difficult task; but, move it we must.

The latest, expensive, touchy-feely, vomitus ‘report’ -  (HERE) - produced at CASA’s behest, on the industry credit card is an expense we could well have been spared. It is not only insulting to the Rev. Forsyth and his ‘expert’, independent team; but assumes the industry is as green as it is cabbage looking. The CASA response to the report – classic, copy-book stuff; more time, more money, more shuffling, more window dressing, Oh, and new ‘statement’ neckwear for the top deck.  This, all to support the deceit in a text book bureaucratic smoke and mirrors charade.  

For real results, you need real questions, with real answers, from real people who have suffered through a close encounter with CASA.  I could (no bull) right now; post a link, to a PAIN file with just a tick over 100, serious, legitimate complaints against CASA. The questions cover the gamut from operational, through to administrative, on to enforcement, on to corporate and into the personal animosity jungle.  Many questions raise the ‘legality’ of the CASA actions.  All question motive and integrity.  Every single question may be related, in one way or another, to the actions of CASA ‘management’ or to individuals operating for that management.  Many questions relate to how ‘management’ present ‘evidence’ to the next level up ‘decision makers’.

That file is just from one company.  Correct, I did state one.  PAIN hold several such files within the archives, CASA is not the only outfit capable of doing a survey.  “PROVE IT” screams CASA.  “No requirement or need” says I “not yet at least”.  When there is a honest, open platform, provided by folk that may be trusted, without an agenda, with protection against retribution, then and only then, will the information be tested.  Skidmore has told Forsyth to bugger off with his and his teams ‘opinion’. Now his own commissioned survey has said much the same thing.  What in the seven hells do you imagine he is going to do with the milk and water results of his ‘survey’; for which CASA wrote the ToR.  Nothing of either intrinsic or practical value is the short answer. Choc Frog to Skidmore for the biggest load of Bollocks produced this decade; no mean feat that; and there have been some classics.

Due to mass ministerial cowardice and self protection (thanks Paul Keeting) CASA has been allowed to get away with anything they please, without accountability to anyone.  This has resulted in a department which, through like attracting like, has been ensnared by a certain ‘type’.  The place is riddled with them; the wrong men, with wrong personalities creeping into positions of power, forming alliances with the likeminded; shielded by a total lack of responsibility or accountability, backed by ‘big’ one way street law.  The ‘big’ business end of aviation can and do control the excesses, mostly through threat of bigger legal guns, as much money and the expertise on staff to ‘control’ and manage the sillier notions of the Casamite in the jump seat.  Outside of that, if anyone dared to speak out; there would be trouble, with a capital T.   The millions spent on regulation and reform of that regulation has been wasted.  The problem resides within the people within the regulator, those who, as Hood put it, ‘delight’ the like minded, thriving in a toxic atmosphere.    

Aye. This current load of Bollocks will be chewed over, manipulated and spun until CASA convinces a dullard minister, like whatsisname’ to accept that they, CASA, are the injured, misunderstood, hard done by party.  Tea, biscuits and more money will salve the bruised CASA sensitivities and the cynical, sneering party will continue; with industry paying and the government supporting.  Such is life.

But then we have the ATSB conundrum; captive of CASA, poor beyond belief, demoralised and whipped into submission.  Always ready to make sure no one is offended by a ‘robust’ safety report; always trotting off to make sure the CASA arse is covered and that nothing will rock the boat.  If, for one moment, you think that’s harsh; read three of the latest ATSB reports published: any three will do; then tell me that they are the work of an independent, ICAO compliant, fearless investigator.  Look to the delayed Pel-Air fiasco; look to the unbelievable mess they have made of 370, Melbourne, Mildura, Newcastle, etc.  Spineless, repressed, fearful, captured by MoU, complicit in cover-up, conflicted by conscience and probably gender confused to boot. Openly denigrated by the real world.

Of course ASA are an equally sterling example of how to totally bugger things up.  No shadow of favour there; no sir, not at top levels, where the big money is doled out; nah.  Why should we look to more cost effective , efficient systems for the future when ‘Big Sky’ or whatever the duck they call it, can line pockets and make careers today.  No influence pedalling there at all.  Not a whiff of corruption or even a whisper of inefficiency.  Nope, ASA just another shining example of profitability, efficiency and excellence of service to Australia and the travelling public.

Minister – your three ‘aviation’ safety networks are totally, completely and utterly rooted.  CASA is lost in space; ATSB could not find ‘space’ if it jumped up and bit ‘em in the arse; ASA have never heard of it.

No matter; love the new hair tint; can’t wait for the next selfie and; please, could you confirm the rumour that both you and the delectable, decorative Cash will be competing in next seasons ‘Dancing with the Stars’.  It’s all so much more important than that boring old aviation – which should, really, be able to take care of itself.

Selah.

[Peetwo]

Yes Minister the numbers don't lie...

Last couple of weeks of quotable quotes, from the Aunty Pru TOI (timeline of incompetence) monitoring of one Oliver Skidmore's reign of CAsA while deeply inflicted with AIOS...

But, only in the eye of the beholder.

Not so, according to Skidmore.  He is actually bragging, to all and sundry that administrations from all over the world ring him to discover, for themselves just how the Australian system works; it seems, according to Skidmore, that they all want to throw out their simple, ICAO compliant rule sets and follow the sterling example.  This, boys and girls is not a tale of my imagining.  Nope, I have had this now from several who I would count amongst the sane; they always look either slightly stunned or bemused when they tell the tale.

If, and it is a seriously big IF; anyone from overseas a rings OST to discuss ‘Australian’ aviation regulatory reform it is because they either (a) cannot believe the stories of wrack and ruin are true and need to hear it from the horses arse; or, (b) they want to know how to extort the serious amounts of money the scam of regulatory reform provides

I have little doubt that the reports of Skidmore repeating this fairy tale to any who question the shambles are true.  This leaves us with a man clearly not only out of his depth, but one who is quite happy to be the front man to one of the greatest rip-offs ever inflicted on the tax payer. The story also casts serious doubts over probity – if this is the yarn being flogged, hand over heart, to a hapless minister, dumb enough to believe it; then we are all in serious trouble.

This is not even mildly amusing: nothing like an aging maiden Aunt who talks to the ‘wee folk’ at the bottom of the garden, believing that fairy pooh make the sprouts grow better.  This is not remotely funny.  What we have here is either a venal, gross deception, a fraud perpetrated on ministers of the crown; or, someone who should be introduced to your Aunt.   Either way, the road to reform is not only blocked by those who make a living from it, but by the person who is; or was, expected to remove the blockage.

It is not only my opinion – Skidmore must resign or be put out to pasture on the grounds of diminished responsibility; not only being a danger to himself, but to others. You need look no further than his treatment of CVD or the Part 61 fiasco to find unequivocal evidence. His response to the ASRR beggars belief and answers all questions of intent.  The sad part? Well, I believe he actually believes all is well and he can bluff his way out of the unholy mess.

Selah.

Just someone else's OP - Part I

Yet another slap in the face for the Rev Forsyth & his esteemed, fully 'independent' crew:

From the IOS Penal Colony: "Not happy Oliver!" 

Used to fly students into Ansett and the then Australian Airlines maintenance hangars at Tulla. Both companies were very cooperative taking us in for educational tours. Made a few of these evening flights, one memorable for watching a Fokker Friendship being towed into one of those hangars alongside something with rear engine nacelles, probably a DC9. Must have been a dozen staff able to watch standing around while we looked on and I thought to myself that F27 wingtip will collide with the jet's engine nacelle. It did. Not too serious, screw drivers out and went to work to change the wing tip. I made a mental safety report on the spot, in one third of a second not three years, that goes like this;  "if you don't look you will not see."

 Reminds me of the chief of CASA who has asked AOPA for the facts regarding the decline of GA and is then shown the CASA figures which do show the disastrous decline that's been obvious for years. Yes you might have your eyes open but if you can't be bothered, or don't want to see, then mind blanking will prevail.

Via Oz Flying:

2016 CASA Stakeholder Relationship Survey
CASA 2016 Stakeholder Relationship Action Plan

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/lates...41e6MDE.99

 

Can you believe what's attached to that 2nd link? - 90 pages of glossy dribble trying to desperately turn a sow's ear into a silk purse.. - Please can someone with authority or political sway get a grip here, the three aviation safety stooges are running amok in the asylum, FDS!

The Last Minute Hitch: 19 August 2016

"The DG might be pointing in the right direction, but the leg is long and there are headwinds."

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/the-l...SwzaKMh.99

Sandy follows up, via one of the PAIN email chains, with what I believe is intended to be a posted comment on the Oz Flying article:

It beggars belief that taxpayer and industry money has been wasted compiling this report. Not to mention an insult to three distinguished Panel Members of the Forsyth report. It is true that the Forsyth report recommended that stakeholder surveys should be made alongside KPIs to be indentified. Their report made it abundantly clear, from an independent viewpoint, that General Aviation had an extremely poor regard for the regulator, the spendthrift CASA. CASA chose to largely ignore Forsyth, but then Director of Air Safety Mr. Skidmore declared that the Forsyth report was just an opinion. 

The real question is simply what's the point until and unless there are substantial reforms in place and then measure the success or otherwise? 

There was no need whatever for the C B report to restate the 'bleeding obvious' and a state of affairs that has existed and grown worse over many years. Can't help wondering what was the cost of this report and how was this firm selected? The costing should have been be reported along with the findings. 

Anyone with any interest in aviation should alert their Parliamentary representatives to the shameful actions of CASA, the ongoing destruction of small aviation business, waste and extraordinary mismanagement, AVMED, SIDs, ADS B, the tip of iceberg. Talking to CASA will not bring about any meaningful reform. 

Sandy Reith

 
&.. This AM Thorny cribbed a Leady post from off the UP - HERE - and of course the "K" Sunday ramble over on the Dazzling Dazza's shame thread - Irresistible force paradox.

...The latest, expensive, touchy-feely, vomitus ‘report’ -  (HERE) - produced at CASA’s behest, on the industry credit card is an expense we could well have been spared. It is not only insulting to the Rev. Forsyth and his ‘expert’, independent team; but assumes the industry is as green as it is cabbage looking. The CASA response to the report – classic, copy-book stuff; more time, more money, more shuffling, more window dressing, Oh, and new ‘statement’ neckwear for the top deck.  This, all to support the deceit in a text book bureaucratic smoke and mirrors charade...  

Well apparently the straw that broke the camel's back was that - latest, expensive, touchy-feely, vomitus ‘report’ -  (HERE) ; check out Binger's latest (via the Oz) with this damning headline - Survey shows industry’s deep loathing for CASA. Not a good look if your the Minister... :

Phil Hurst says CASA has ‘a major management problem with transparency and accountability’. Picture: Ray Strange - P2 Edit: Sorry Binger no offence to Mr Strange but IMO the above pic is better...

• Mitchell Bingemann
  
• The Australian
  
• 12:00AM August 26, 2016
  @Mitch_Hell
  [img=0x0]http://pixel.tcog.cp1.news.com.au/track/component/author/4c134add4c3a9e4881f7841b69d9ac85/?esi=true&t_product=the-australian&t_template=s3/austemp-article_common/vertical/author/widget&td_bio=false[/img]
  

Infrastructure and Transport Minister Darren Chester has told the aviation regulator to pick up its game after an inaugural survey into its performance revealed a deep schism between it and the ­industry it oversees.

The minister’s warning to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority came as the nation’s air safety boss, Mark Skidmore, yesterday resigned from the aviation regulator after just 20 months. It is understood the two incidents are not linked.

"..The minister’s warning to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority came as the nation’s air safety boss, Mark Skidmore, yesterday resigned from the aviation regulator after just 20 months. It is understood the two incidents are not linked.."     - Yeah right!

The results of the government-ordered survey, by research agency Colmar Brunton, shows large segments of the aviation industry hold a deep dissatisfaction towards CASA on a range of issues.

More than 1200 respondents completed the survey, exceeding CASA’s target of 800, that shows about 46 per cent of the industry was “dissatisfied or very dissatisfied” when it came to their relationship with the regulator. Just 25 per cent of respondents said they were satisfied.

A key concern was a perception that CASA could be overly punitive rather than collaborative when it came to solving issues.

The organisation’s service delivery also copped a beating: 49 per cent of respondents said they were disappointed and CASA’s dialogue with the industry came out with a similar number of dissatisfied customers.

The most damning finding is the regulator’s score on its development of aviation safety regulations. On that issue, 58 per cent of respondents were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied.

A CASA spokesman said the organisation had developed a “comprehensive action plan in response to the survey’s findings, with work already under way in many key areas”.

CASA said it would test new regulations through internal peer review, where regulatory development and operational staff would assess impacts on industry before introducing new rules.

It also said new methods of consultation would be trialled, including enhanced online and greater face-to-face inter­action.

“CASA’s aim is for the aviation community and CASA to be partners in safety and we are working hard to achieve this goal,” the CASA spokesman said.

Mr Chester welcomed the findings of the survey, saying Australia’s enviable aviation safety record was due to the “important work of CASA in partnership with the aviation sector”.

But he also said “while progress has been made to improve the relationship between CASA and industry, there’s always more work to be done.”

“The survey has clearly highlighted that there are a range of areas where CASA needs to continue to improve,” he said.

Aerial Application Association of Australia chief executive Phil Hurst said the survey was a “fundamental confirmation of how broken CASA still is”.

“That is a damning indictment of CASA’s management and its inability to act decisively on yet another comprehensive review of its shortcomings,” Mr Hurst said.

“If anyone in business received this sort of feedback from clients they would either be out of business or doing everything within their power to claw back their reputation and trust.

“CASA is doing neither. CASA still has a major management problem with transparency, accountability and in developing ways to work positively with industry to create win-win scenarios.”

Mr Hurst said CASA needed to invert its philosophy to help industry be better, rather than forcing unworkable regulations that were crippling it with onerous costs.

“Someone at CASA — either the board or the minister — must step up and address these fundamental shortcomings urgently. AAAA strongly supports the minister and the board acting decisively to address the ongoing dysfunctionality of our aviation regulator,” he said. - Phil Hurst in bold: P2 OP - Again in not too many words Phil Hurst absolutely nails it - CF for PH...

Miniscule minder:"Yes minister, that little chap said that you are stark naked. Do you want me to go back an censor some of your last selfie-tweeps ??" -


MTF...P2

Ps Not sure who down there in Canberra is currently responsible for pulling Dazzling Dazza's strings but whoever it is could they please keep doing it and a lot harder...

[P7_TOM]

Sacking Skidmore does NOT resolve anything. He toddles off half a million better off to a carefree future; industry has another 20 month deficit to recoup and a hat full of destroyed hope to live with.

Skidmore is well compensated – who will compensate this long suffering industry?

It’s way past the time when the ministerial head was removed from the ministerial arse.

Not cranky – bloody furious.


P.S.  “K” just sent this through – FWIW.
 
Of dazzling, dancing Darren you may despair
He of the much tweeted, manicured hair;
But to tackle the problems, both old and new is a simple thing, he dare not do
Lacking the bollocks to take the dare or ruffle the newly minted hair.
 
His mate, the country muff, believes taking the piss is quite enough
That to sneer and smirk at what we hold dear is his idea of fun,
Perhaps he aught to take a run
through the decimated ruins of industry, laid rotting, in the sun.
 
Tweet tweet.

[Kharon]

Aye well, it is Sunday after all.

Welcome back folks; its a fine day here at the Most Useless Ministers Show (MUMS) and the competitors for the Fuggly beauty contest are nervously putting the final touches to costume and makeup.  To those who have never actually seen the event, it will be a strange, confusing competition: but, for aficionado’s it is a must see event. The prize is awarded to the most inept government minister, not the team representing their minister.  The scoring is complex: but essentially, the minister with the most points wins the Disaster After Flaming Tragedy (DAFT) cup.  It works thus:-A department may score up to 10 points for a single disaster, with a bonus of 5 points for each associated disaster, provided they are concurrent and follow the same theme.  A new theme is worth a whopping 20 points, so there is great competition to generate multiple cock-ups on different themes and then, produce a theme associated duck up.  

For the new viewers – a recap. E.g. The cleaning department wanted two dozen, top of the line, very costly whizz bang vacuum cleaners. New theme 20 points. In order to procure them, they had to justify the outlay, which involved laying off two cleaners as a productivity increase; 5 bonus points awarded for creative accountancy. During the waiting for delivery period the bull-dust levels increased; and, being short handed, cleaned only the part of the building the public would see, much bull-dust was swept into the fire escapes and under the carpets; 5 points for creative thinking and a new potential disaster.  The new equipment eventually turned up, but the plugs were exotic and would only fit Indian two pin power points, 5 points for bad research. Eventually new plugs were sourced and duly wired in (the building you understand, not to the appliance) 10 bonus points.  You can guess the rest -  disaster following cock-up – then a big bonus score for the covering speech made at the annual dinner which completely vindicated all the cock-ups. The ultimate high score depends on just how little the minister is embarrassed and how quickly he can wriggle out of responsibility. It is a team event. That children is how the completion is played, scored and judged.

Now the DDDD stable has three entrants this year and is tipped to be very close to winning the coveted DAFT Cup with a trifecta.  All the ministers entrants have developed some truly spectacular, entertaining disaster themes. Some of these are so cunningly concealed that the final score could depend on just how well the minister handles the ‘Oh Fuck’ factor yet to emerge.

The three ministerial entrants are:-

ASA: Thales .  Tales of graft, corruption, dodgy deals, fiscal mischief and sexual misconduct have long been part of the ASA road show; all unproven and scurrilous; but they do affect the betting as folks do love a good, juicy scandal.  Of course now under new management things will seem to get better, provided the minister call swallow, without blinking, the impending disaster, when the world goes to satellite services and the already redundant ‘Big Sky’ cornucopia is empty.  The urgent need to sell off the liability may preclude the ASA entering next years competition.  But, there’s value in a bet on the ASA; new themes, recent disasters pig-a-back on existing, heading to newly minted impending  true horror stories.  Even money to odds on are the best odds on display at the tote.

ATSB: what can one say to add even more credit to this outstanding department track record. Not so juicy a tale as the ASA, but for disaster, embarrassment, pure incompetence and linked cock-ups; ATSB stands alone. Often overlooked in the pre race ‘entertainment’, lacking the flash and dash of it’s two main rivals; but on the track and on form, the ATSB is up at the top of the betting board and experienced punters will be taking anything offered better than odds on. The new training regime will not affect the SP, at least this year.

Last, but by no means least – CASA; top weight favourite and hard to beat in the total shambles and complete disaster stakes. The form guide runs to some four, closely printed pages; cock-up champions three years running; stars of the disaster arena; doyens of unintended consequence game, and masters of the true destruction by stealth gambit. They have of course just lost their master of the game, an unfortunate road kill (bus of course); but it is of little consequence to this well seasoned, highly experienced, expert team of disaster veterans. Short odds again but, there may yet be value if the new coach is ‘found’ soon, that, is for next years pagent.  

So those are the ministers entries; and, to the discerning punter, the only competitors  worthy of serious consideration.  There are other departments who will give their entries a run; but for the purist; the top three will always lure the hazard.

There is of course an alternate. Perhaps the minister has no desire to win the DAFT cup and is prepared to forgo the ‘selfie’ of himself, holding the trophy aloft and smiling, while covered in the shite overflowing from the toxic vessel.  There are other options to consider.

The ASA disaster could, very neatly and with some kudos be avoided by privatising the system and embracing the Canadian model.  With one fell stroke – disaster avoided, money in the jam tin and the blessings of government, industry and the tax paying public bestowed.  A sure winner there.

The ATSB aberration can be removed in a heart beat: cancel the Mou, make the department responsible to the Senate (or minister) fund them independently and give Hoody some real clout, then turn him loose.  Hallelujah screamed the crowd in the cheap seats; ‘brilliant’ the quote from ICAO and a big thank you from the unwitting, tax paying, travelling public.

The CASA beast can be tamed; just needs the right trainer and some judicious culling of the breading stock.  Imagine, just for a moment, the accolades from industry when with a nod from the minister, the right man replaces the party preferred hack.  Two previous ministers have, for various, nefarious reasons, overlooked the resume of ‘the right man’.  

And so; from being just another useless, inept, NFI minister, to lasting fame as the man who dragged Australian aviation back to forefront is the choice. It is all to play for, but the game is risky, the competition tough; but, with industry support and unstinted assistance; winning of the pageant is always within the ministers grasp.

So, what’s it to be (or not to be) that is the question.  Shame or Fame – times up.

Selah.  Away dogs; get along now. I need some sunshine and breath of fresh air.

[Gobbledock]

Other names were thrown into the mix who put up a great fight for first place but didn't make the cut were;

-Department of Offence (Defence) for their defence aircraft (Seasprite) submarine and personal body armour duck ups
- Frau Credlins former roost, the Department of PoohMC and it's endless legacy of pony pooh political  mischief
- Australian Bureau of Stupidity. Census (Senseless) debacle. A great contender
- Department of Human Excrement (CenterStink) for decades of cockups and it's current lemon of an I.T system that will cost billions to upgrade

The list of departments that are total bollocks is endless, literally. Billions and billions wasted annually, but I must agree that CAsA takes out the race by a horses length.

Hey Chester, here is a selfie of my middle finger for your collection!

[Kharon]

Not cranky – bloody furious.

Sunday afternoon – I’m in the workshop, nothing in my head bar plotting how best manage the next tricky bit of the new rocking chair and sweeping the sawdust and shavings into a pile while trying not to get too much of it into the newly poured ale; a shadow loomed in the stable door – its TOM, come a’ visiting and he’s still bristling.  With a nod he ambles over to the tap protruding from the ancient fridge, pours himself a pint, grabs one the stools and parks at the end the workbench; nary a word.  I keep sweeping: waiting for the pleasant afternoon light, the smell of freshly cut timber, and the old stable tranquillity of the workshop to work their magic.  Sure enough – after a while - “It’s not good enough” says he “not by a bloody long shot.”  His recent post came to mind – so no prizes for guessing what has prompted this visit.

P7_TOM : “Sacking Skidmore does NOT resolve anything. He toddles off half a million better off to a carefree future; industry has another 20 month deficit to recoup and a hat full of destroyed hope to live with.

Skidmore is well compensated – who will compensate this long suffering industry?

It’s way past the time when the ministerial head was removed from the ministerial arse.

He is quite correct of course; it is an absolute shambles.  No matter from whichever angle you approach the subject, it is a duck up of massive proportion, the aftershocks as destructive as the initial quake.

TOM - “This supposed ‘leader’ of men’ has failed in every way it is possible for a man to fail – and he walks away, richer, from the bloody mangled mess he has created; paid by industry and not a shred of an apology, hint of guilt or even a plausible explanation as to why he cannot finish the job he was hired to do, ahead of better men who could do the job: it makes me cranky”.

TOM holds up a paw and on the fingers counts off the major items.  Thumb – the department is now rudderless, adrift in a sea of opportunity for Sleepy Hollow black hats.  Index finger; 20 months of sweet sod all changing while the ASRR passes from memory and into the shredder.  Forefinger; in the vacuum work on 48, 61 and any of the other abominations, so called regulations will continue apace while the fools who wrote them self promote like Billy-O. Ring finger; the music for the cosmetic shuffling of deck chairs has stopped, it was not much of change, pure smoke and mirrors more than restructure, but now there is a void and the rats deserting will scuttle back, brazen as ever. Little finger; Boyd and his board, what are we to make of that little brouhaha and how much more of our time and money are that sorry crew going to waste finding someone who can actually dare do the job, if the Board really want the job done that is?

He took a long pull at his pint and glanced at the keg tap; I took the hint and ambled over, taking a long moment to pull a couple; thinks; there’s more to come; patience grasshopper.  Lit the stove, I had off-cuts to dispose of and it was getting cool, then set the ale down between the two aged but extra comfy chairs; sat down and waited.

TOM was on a roll; we sat for a couple of hours by the old stable stove, I lit the lanterns, shut the stable doors after the dogs turned up and the old stable cat (wont live anywhere else) was settled and we talked.  Between us we stripped back the layers of old varnish to the heart wood, to see if there was anything that could be salvaged, restored, renovated or even remotely useful. There was not.  What we discovered was old rot, hastily patched with whatever was to hand, the repairs inexpert and clumsy, each depending on a previous botched repair. Talk turned to the multiple ministers and minions who had accepted the botched repairs as good enough to see them through their tenure and no more that that.

I may not be a master craftsman; but I take some small pride in any job I do, to me it matters that a repair is ‘done right’ and will see the journey through. My partially complete rocking chair (a Christmas gift) will be working just fine many, many years after I have shuffled off this mortal coil; the small skill and care poured into its making a testament to a job finished tidy, tools put away clean and sharp, bench swept and a thing that is of lasting benefit to others left behind.

TOM and I decried the lack of care and skill which has gone into the making of our present day CASA, even a well made item can only withstand so many botched repairs, made by shoddy workmen with no tools and even less idea of how to do the job.  Just slap on some 'bog', grab the dough and get out of Dodge, fastish like.

Aye, ‘twas a long evening, the keg took a beating (in a good cause) and we finished up with one conclusion; rock solid. If the minister responsible does not hire some real craftsmen and rebuild the edifice, from the ground up, the crippled thing we call a regulator will simply collapse in heap one day, beyond all repair; it is to hoped the ministerial arse is not parked on it when it does; for non of us will raise a finger to assist. Not after our collective expertise and skills have been ignored and denigrated by the Botch-it and Leg-it crew.

The tools are there, the skills are there, the ability is there, the lumber is there; so why [rhetorical] is the minister looking for a quick, cheap fix using Dodgy Bros. inc. when for the same amount of money and time, he can make a real job of the repair and be proud of it.  Something to leave behind.

Not a ramble; just a couple of blokes, totally over the present situation, stuck in a broken system over which they have no control; having a yarn over a beer or two, by the fire – Sunday afternoon.  I wonder; how many other blokes have had the same conversation on flight decks, in pubs, at the BBQ; bet you an ale TOM and I are not the only ones.

Enough waffle: back to my rocking chair. At least that will get done – right and proper.

Toot toot.

[Peetwo]

Miniscule steps into another pile of Horse-pooh -

Whoever was responsible for holding the rope/strings on the photogenic filter, self-appointed selfie King of pollywaffles, Dazzling Dazza and/or his minions over the weekend should be shot at dawn - FDS!

Presumably this somewhat abstract thornbird post...

A spokesman for Bankstown Airport moved to allay concerns about aviation at the site.

“All federal leased airports are required by their lease with the Commonwealth to operate the airport as an airport,” he said.

Yup very true, but the Airport Act and the head leases mandate that all the aviation infrastructure was to be maintained. That the intent of the Act was to reserve airport land for aviation use. So how come you, Mr BAL, closed taxiways, closed runways and costed aviation off the airport so you could take land for your development shark mates to develop.

“Over the years there have been some tenants that have left the airport, through retirement, industry rationalisation, business failure post-GFC or seeking an environment with less compliance issues.”

Oh really, wouldn't have been because rents went up by thousands of percent,and continue to rise. Very short term leases make it almost impossible for any long term aviation industry to develop. Landing fees and parking charges are now the highest in the world resulting in a mass exodus of aircraft to places like Wedderburn, Wollongong, Bathurst, Cessnock.

A spokeswoman for Infrastructure Minister Darren Chester has defended the privatisation.

Well of course he would, his party were the ones who stuffed it up in the first place.

The Murky Mandarin worked out a neat way for the Guvmint to affectively "Borrow Money" without it showing on the books and getting the industry to pay the interest bill.

Wonder if the minister would care to divulge exactly how much tax our privatised airports pay each year. How much of the money the entities who bought the leases borrowed offshore, at what interest rate, and how much of the airports turnover disappears to offshore tax havens every year?

“Non-aeronautical land use and commercial activity is necessary to allow airport lease holders to provide the significant investment necessary to maintain and grow airport and aviation infrastructure, she said.

That statement is inutile. Exactly what have any of the entities who purchased the airport leases put into aviation infrastructure? Aviation Infrastructure has now degenerated to third world standards, our airports voted some of the worst in the world.

Err ..Darren old mate, car parks are not aviation infrastructure. Oh and how was runway 18/36 at Bankstown "Non-Aeronautical" land?

“This investment would not have been possible if these airports remained in Government control or, if Government control was to have been maintained, without changes in the arrangements between the Government and airport users to reflect the market value of airport activity.”

[i][b]Again, an inutile statement. The Commonwealth i.e. the people of Australia owned the airports, DEBT FREE"!!!

They were by and large returning profit to the government.

Maybe Do Nothing Darren could give us some idea of exactly what investments have been made in aviation infrastructure since the airports were privatised?

All the profits from the primaries disappears overseas. How does that benefit the Australian taxpayer?

All the profits from the development sharks biting huge chunks out of airport land at secondary airports disappears overseas,how does that benefit the Australian taxpayer or the Industry?

Bankstown airport used to employ over 8000 people, today less than a few hundred since the industry has been priced off the airport, so the Australian taxpayer doesnt even get the benefit of the taxes they used to pay.

[b]Hell, the NSW government didn't even get the benefit of stamp duty on the leases and a whole heap of subsequent transactions.

For years the airport lessee was charging its tenants for council rates, yet not passing it on to council. How was that benefitting the ratepayers of Bankstown?
[/b]
[b]The whole so called privatisation has been a giant Con, it has neither benefitted the Australian pubic nor the aviation industry.

[i][b]The current Court squabble going on in NSW court regarding Bankstown should wave a flag for do nothing Darren. If the development sharks are prepared to fess up what I'm told could amount to over Sixty Million in legal fees, there's got to be a "Nice little earner" in there. Meanwhile a perfectly good Industry spirals down the gurgler, and industry that could have contributed vastly to Australia for as far as you could see into the future.

A Question for the PM. Mr Turnbull you make statements about supporting Innovation, yet your Bureaucrats with malice and aforethought are suppressing the most innovative industry in the world. Are your words simply rhetoric? or do you mean what you said?, Sir. we are totally confused[/b][/i][/b][/b][/i]

...at lunchtime yesterday was referring to this other Aunty online post or another media outlet version of it:

Airport privatisation and CASA rules hurting businesses, owners and expert says

By Jackson Vernon
Posted yesterday at 11:58amSun 4 Sep 2016, 11:58am

Photo: The owner of this aeroplane repair business at Bankstown Airport says the industry is under threat. (ABC News: Jackson Vernon)

Related Story: International airport, flight school proposed for Renmark

There are growing concerns the general aviation industry in Australia is under threat from what has been described as a "perfect storm of problems".

Key points:

• Air Services Australia figures show small plane movements drop at smaller airports
  
• Expert says general aviation businesses suffering under CASA rules
  
• Infrastructure Minister Darren Chester defends the Bankstown Airport privatisation
  

Dave Pyett, who has run an aeroplane repair business at Bankstown Airport since 1993, said the problems began emerging when the airport was sold off by the federal government in 2003.

"[In] 1993 it was about $23,000 a year for this hangar; [a] World War II shed basically with no improvements, all the improvements we've paid for," he said.

"They've bunged the rent up and now we're paying $110,000 a year for the rent on this place now.

"That's where our money is going — down the dunny."

Figures from Air Services Australia show that small plane movements at the airport have fallen about 20 per cent in the past 10 years.

The falls are even higher at airports across Australia, including a 40 per cent decline at Jandakot Airport in Western Australia and Archerfield Airport in Queensland.

CASA accused of over regulation

Aeroplane Owners and Pilots Association executive director Benjamin Morgan said airports are suffering from privatisation.

"We have seen a large scale decline in the number of flying, training, maintenance, charter support industries at this aerodrome," he said

"There are thousands of people who have lost their jobs and have been driven into bankruptcy as a result of airport privatisation.

Adjunct Professor David Forsyth, who teaches aviation studies at the University of NSW, said general aviation businesses are suffering under rules governed by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).

He submitted a report to the federal government in 2014, in which he criticised CASA's "hard-line philosophy".

"In Australia our aviation regulations are too prescriptive, they go down to a level of detail that is not common in other jurisdictions around the world," he said.

"A large part of the recommendations was to do with the regulatory suite to amend the Australian regulations so that they were ... more harmonised with the rest of the world and that they were not so prescriptive."

But Mr Forsyth said most of the recommendations have not been implemented.

"If things don't improve and the regulator doesn't establish that trust and make some changes to the way it regulates... industries in general aviation will continue to move to New Zealand and to other countries rather than be developed in Australia."

Minister defends privatisation of airport

A CASA spokeswoman rejected that the recommendations are not being implemented.

"CASA has made significant progress and is working towards finalising the implementation of these recommendations by the end of the year," she said.

"CASA does not accept that the reduction in general aviation activity can solely be attributed to safety regulations or actions by CASA.

"There are many economic, social and technological factors impacting on the general aviation industry."

Photo: Flight movements at Jandakot Airport in WA have fallen by 40 per cent (ABC)

A spokesman for Bankstown Airport moved to allay concerns about aviation at the site.

"All federal leased airports are required by their lease with the Commonwealth to operate the airport as an airport," he said.

"Over the years there have been some tenants that have left the airport, through retirement, industry rationalisation, business failure post-GFC or seeking an environment with less compliance issues."

A spokeswoman for Infrastructure Minister Darren Chester has defended the privatisation.

"Non-aeronautical land use and commercial activity is necessary to allow airport lease holders to provide the significant investment necessary to maintain and grow airport and aviation infrastructure, she said.

"This investment would not have been possible if these airports remained in Government control or, if Government control was to have been maintained, without changes in the arrangements between the Government and airport users to reflect the market value of airport activity.   Wrong lines miniscule or minion 

 
Fortunately Gobbles put some reasoned rationality into the argument in this choccy frog post...

Of 'making airports great again'.....

There is money to be made from airports. In fact there is more money to be made from keeping/owning airports over a longer period of time rather than flogging them for a quick buck in a fire-sale. The problem is that Governments are useless, incompetent and erratic. Everything they touch turns to complete shit.

When an asset is sold, such as an airport, it's now at the mercy of the hedge funds, superannuation funds, and the parasites such as the JP Morgan types, who gut the asset, slice of pieces and flog the bulk of it to the land development sharks. It's all a sting, and an all too familiar one at that. They never re-invest back into the asset adequately, if at all, and the asset then declines which ultimately affects businesses, the economy, the community.

Why doesn't the Government (individual states or federal) set up a third party company/entity to either buy back or keep and manage existing groups of airports? For pondering purposes let's call it 'Dipshit Pty Ltd'.

The airports could be managed as being seperate from Government, by Dipshit Pty Ltd, and you would have no more stupid bureaucratic policy, no dumbass time wasting procurement bullshit, no doubling and tripling of Board structures and useless executive managers. A group of airports run succinctly by proven industry experts in a way that encourages diversity, business, quality, expansion not contraction, promotes airports as a major link and necessary link in the aviation chain, and ensures they are not molested by the likes of Murky and his corporate capitalist minions.

For example, the Federal government has set up its at-arms-length corporation "Dipshit Pty Ltd" and buys a group of already state or local government owned airports. Let's make the figure 36 for shits and giggles, a mixture of mainline and regional airports. Each airports owner gets paid out (valuations vary depending on the airports location, category and overall value). That leaves a chunk of change for struggling states or local communities to use wisely and invest in infrastructure, pay down debt, that kind of stuff.

Then, the group of airports produce a yearly dividend (again depending on the airports overall value) and a percentage of that dividend annually goes back to the state/community that sold their airport to the third party governemnt corporation that now owns it.

It's doable because you don't have bureaucrats poorly managing the airports. You now have proper management oversight. The better the airport is managed then the better the financial return. The grouping also allows for synergies, greater bartering and bargaining power, a return on investment and again greater power when it comes to seeking capital injections. Much better options than one singular poor little airport trying to cut the mustard in a dog eat dog capitalistic Wall Steet 'bankerised' world (I like that new word!). It keeps the airports in governemnt hands and not in the hands of the blood sucking white shoe brigade parasites on Wall Street and scum sucking hedge fund corporation rapists.

Anyway, these are just a few of my Sunday evening musings. It's not the magic bullet, but there simply has to be a better way?

P_666

MTF? Definitely much, much more...P2

[Gobbledock]

On the lighter side of life

Barnaby Joyce warns about skin cancer as he undergoes treatment

"Acting Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce says he is a "lesson to all" on why you should wear a hat to avoid skin cancer.
Mr Joyce is currently using a cream to burn off skin cancers on his forehead, cheek and temple.
He told the ABC that Australians who work outdoors should take greater care in the sun to avoid cancer.
"Now I'm paying the price for working on the land and dealing with the [ravages] of the sun," he said.
"Big hats might look silly, but skin cancers look sillier."
Mr Joyce regularly wears a broad-brimmed hat, but he said that was not always the case.
"They used to think it was uncool to wear a bare-brimmed hat, so I just wore those small ones and of course they just didn't do the job," he said.
It is the third time this year he has been treated for skin cancer this year.
In January, Mr Joyce had surgery to remove a stage one melanoma from his right shoulder.
He also had to take time out of the election campaign to have another surgery to remove a cancer from his neck and face.
Mr Joyce also shared his experiences with constituents on Facebook, saying the current treatment would last for a few weeks but he was "on the road to recovery".

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-05...ng/7817240

I guess;

a) who really gives a shit?
b) must be a Deputy PM thing - crusty melons?
c) I wonder if DDDDazza noticed any melanoma on Barnaby's todger in the shitters at the Tamworth Ok Corral?
d) those marks aren't skin cancers, they are brandings from the Styx River Houseboat Captain!

"Safe scabs and lesion covered heads for all".

[Kharon]

[If] given a magic wand.

That is the last part of a question the BRB were wresting with last evening; I’d had to act as mediator to the interlocutors; and, needed to draw a line as things were getting heated.  It all kicked off quietly enough, Mt Non Compliance and the Carmody/Skidmore imbroglio getting some attention.  This dragged Chester, Mrdak, Joyce into the pot which led to ATSB, ASA and of course CASA.  As the various components of the whole sorry debacle were dragged into the spotlight the size and scope of the mess became obvious.  For every item, someone had a solution; to every solution there was an exploitable flaw. Point and counterpoint. Strongly argued, strongly defended; not heated you understand.  Nothing like a parliament dust up; but much like that, as in going nowhere except around and around.  Impasse.

“Ok” says I – during a lull; “what if I gave every one a magic wand; a wand which would only work once, you get one shot at producing the best all around fix”.  Once the ribald comment stopped flying around, I explained the rules.  One shot, one solution, it has to be the best ‘first step’ toward restoring sanity and order to matters aeronautical; answers on the back of your coaster please gents.  Peace descended, pens were borrowed and the beer coaster pile got a hammering; in fairly short order the job was done and I had a neat pile of coasters. They were soon sorted; two small piles, one large – a clear winner.

The answer was phrased differently, but translated into one simple sentence: appoint David Fawcett to junior minister for aviation. The next hour was pleasantly passed in wide agreement, supporting the notion that appointing Fawcett was the answer, indeed the only answer to a pagans prayer; it simply makes good sense.

As P7 and I were strolling home when he says “it does make sense, the best possible solution for everyone, it certainly is the perfect solution for government, it gets the industry off their back, resolves any ICAO issues in a heartbeat, shows they care and, the system may even get put to rights in fairly short order; yup, that’ll work.”

He’s spot on you know; Fawcett understands and given the juice could and would sort out many of the major problems, logically: for he knows what they are and with only one brief within that remit could focus on re-establishing Australia’s credentials as a first world aviation nation.  FWIW, I sent the question around the ‘PAIN’ loop – predictable result. When you balance all and properly consider the current situation, it really is the only possible remedy. I did ask why most believed it to be the best – the answer resoundingly clear. “We can trust him”. There is no finer accolade for a politician than that; not from my crew anyway.

Aye, magic wands may only exist in faery tales, but if ever anyone stumbles across a Genie in a bottle, send it along to the BRB; we have great need of it.

Toot toot.

[Peetwo]

Dick visits the Apple Isle -

I'm hoping the following Tassie Advocate articles are a sign that Dick maybe back to doing what IMO he does best, i.e. advocating for industry at a grassroots level:

Dick Smith raises fears about flight safety
Hayden [email=Johnson@haydenjohnson94]Johnson[/email] [/url]@haydenjohnson94

7 Sep 2016, 4 p.m.

'If a pilot makes a mistake the people could be killed': Smith

PRIVATE pilot and Australian entrepreneur Dick Smith has raised concerns about the safety of Tasmania’s airspace, claiming a $6 million radar system does not work like it was supposed to. 

This week Mr Smith said Tasmania’s general aviation industry was being destroyed by increases in red tape and costs.

He also has concerns about the effectiveness of the $6 million Tasmania Wide Area Multilateration System (TASWAM), a radar to monitor commercial and private flights.
 The TASWAM radar pinpoints aircraft through their transponders, but does not work at lower levels when planes are approaching an airport.

“Instead of having the protection at places like Devonport and Launceston of low-level radar, they don’t use it below 6000 feet,” Mr Smith said. 

“If a pilot makes a mistake and descends too early over a mountain range the people could be killed. 

“It’s a very common type of accident from professional pilots and that’s why they (AirServices) spent the $6 million in putting in this state of the art system but it doesn’t work below 6000 feet where you need it.”

If a pilot makes a mistake and descends too early over a mountain range the people could be killed. - Dick Smith

But a spokesman for AirServices said they were “confident that Tasmania airspace is safe”.

“We deliver services in accordance with the strict safety requirements of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority,” he said.

“We are committed to delivering safe and efficient air traffic services that meet government policy objectives, regulatory requirements and the needs of our customers.”

The spokesman said the TASWAM system worked accurately and gave controllers visibility of aircraft down to the ground at Hobart and Launceston’s airports.

Mr Smith said the current approach of air-traffic controllers manually spacing landing aircraft was outdated.

“At the moment it’s very old fashioned 1930s way of doing things and I’m hoping it’s not going to result in needless fatalities,” he said. 

The TASWAM radar system was introduced after a near midair collision between a commercial airliner and light aircraft in the early 2000s.

And:

Dick Smith has grave concerns about Devonport's private plane rate


Hayden Johnson @haydenjohnson94

6 Sep 2016, 4:30 p.m.
[url=http://twitter.com/share?url=http://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/4145690/dicks-aviation-worry/&text=Dick’s aviation]
Speaking to The Advocate, Dick Smith said the lower number of participation in general aviation was a “very serious situation”.

DICK Smith believes Tasmania’s once-booming general aviation industry faces serious threats with rising costs making flying unaffordable for private pilots.

Speaking to The Advocate, Mr Smith said the lower numbers of participation in general aviation was a “very serious situation”.

Flying to the North-West Coast in his fixed-wing plane or helicopter each year, Mr Smith has noted a significant lack of fellow pilots in the area.

“Devonport used to be a really busy airport, general aviation-wise – the last two times I’ve been in there I’ve been the only plane at the whole airport,” he said. 

“I notice every time I come, in the last ten years, less and less people are flying and more and more damage to the industry.”

Civil Aviation Safety Authority figures show there were 13,987 private flight crew licences in 2014-15, a decrease from 15,402 during 2004-05. Mr Smith said a “one-way ratchet of increasing costs and red tape” meant more people could not afford to go flying, while commercial airlines could absorb the increases. 

“The airlines can pass it on to their 50 million passengers - when you pass it onto the general aviation industry it just closes down,” he said.
 
“Airports that should be thriving like Devonport and Wynyard are basically just ghost towns.”

WORRIED: General aviation pilot Dick Smith is concerned about the future of the North-West Coast's private aviation industry.

Mr Smith said the problem was a national one which would have flow-on effects to “tens of thousands” of staff in the aviation maintenance and fuel sector. 

“It’s amazing you have rescue helicopters anymore because there’s virtually no more maintenance people being trained – it’s a very serious situation.”

Mr Smith also took aim at the Civil Aviation Act which states the number one consideration in aviation should be safety. “If you make the number one consideration safety you’ll only have James Packer flying, it’s just a one-way ratchet of increasing costs,” he said. “You can have very high levels of safety but you just have to get rid of the unnecessary cost.

 “I just see an industry being destroyed.”

A spokeswoman for Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester said Mr Chester was reviewing proposals of policy and regulatory changes to general and regional aviation.

She said Mr Chester was considering these proposals and expected to announce the government’s initiatives later this year.

MTF...P2  

[Gobbledock]

Excellent overview Dick. Well done. At least someone is recognising GA's plight. Unfortunately Dick has been banging those drums for some time now, and the tune doesn't change. Nobody is listening. Well, the IOS is, but none of the 'red tape gang' could give a shit S they have their political careers and fat pensions at the top of the priority list.

And then you have this human cheesecake, Chester;

"A spokeswoman for Minister for and Transport Darren Chester said Mr Chester was reviewing proposals of policy and regulatory changes to general and regional aviation.
She said Mr Chester was considering these proposals and expected to announce the government’s initiatives later this year".

Of course Darren, you will 'review' and 'consider' and 'expect'. Wanker! More non-committal pony pooh statements worded so not to commit to anything tangible.

But don't worry, here is the legend George Carin revealing some of the secrets from Minster Chester's training manual;

[Kharon]

FWIW, the BRB tip for the DAS Chalice Handicap.

Dear P2. It is a difficult decision to make; as you well know, we have the Mike Smith CV ‘on file’.  Many; myself included, believe that it should be ‘out there’ for all to see, it is indeed a very good track record and fully supports a claim to serious consideration – operationally, practically and as a ‘proper’ solution to ministerial worries and woes.  But there are problems associated with a release of the document.  For starters, non of the other applicants would have their CV ‘published’.  Which is unfair.  There is of course no impediment to them publishing their CV, indeed, should you care to look at the ‘Linked-In’ site; many of the potential applicants CV’s are provided – at least in short form.  Mike can be researched on that site and so, the ‘fair – unfair’ argument can be resolved. Whether the potential candidates elect to let it be known that their hat’s are in the ring becomes an individual choice.  On balance, no real impediment of consequence there.

Item next: being the IOS choice candidate and the CASA internal ructions.  We discussed this at the BRB – at length and in depth.  Chester is ‘not amused’ and Boyd ain’t smiling much; they don’t like being directly confronted with the ‘balls and all’ truth. The gentle Tamworth introduction and survey expressed industry dissatisfaction and anger.  Since then CASA have, and make no mistake they mean it, gone into attack mode.  Now if the little dust-up at Tamworth has created the need for the stealth style  panzer attack on industry participants then gods only know what a full frontal attack will do. The threats are real, live and terrifying; but ‘Mums’ the word.  I worry that Smith may be seen as part of the threat.  Fact is, Smith may well be the solution to industry and political problems, a win-win. But if the machine at CASA hits top gear, by getting the slightest hint that real reform is coming to Dodge, will, absolutely create a mini shit-storm.  Mostly from those who are in the front line.  However, the BRB resolved that the CASA iron wrong will know that Smith is a strong candidate; the phones and email will be running hot; and, that without a doubt the white ants are hard at it. So, publish anyway, that was the BRB resolution.

The final item considered was ‘ministerial fortitude’.  This is a factor. The last go-around, Smith came within a whisker of getting the job.  The politically motivated selection of Skidmore proved to be an unmitigated disaster; as was the previously politically motivated selection of McComic.  Smith could run rings around both of these; in fact, my Grand Mamma could beat ‘em both hollow at any game you care to choose, any day of the week. Three ministers now; two nodded in the wong direction.  Result catastrophe and much unneeded trouble caused as a direct result of ‘that’ selection.  Whoever advised or persuaded both Albo and Truss to bet on the ‘departmental’ advice needs a severe kicking.  Bad advice, for the wrong reasons, to a minister? Not a good look.  CASA needs reforming.  It would, with 20/20 hindsight, perhaps have been better to accept the lesser of the two weevils and ‘reform’ CASA, accept the shit storm, rather than the public circus of Tiger, Pel-Air, ASSR, TSBC and other reports – all confirming, what every fool in the market place knew; wrong choice made to avoid ‘unpleasantness’ from those deep with the systems who knew, full well, that a honest man would, without hesitation, effect the logical changes required.

So, to conclusions. The BRB was almost unanimous that publishing the Smith resume would have little if any effect on another political decision. Nothing the industry has said has ever made the slightest difference to what the ministerial advisors will pour into the ministerial ear; so why bother.  The IOS and BRB have decided a simple statement will suffice.

The best man for the job is prepared to entertain the challenge and will resolve many of the potential ministerial concerns, if not all, without upsetting the apple carts and still get the job done; to industry applause and ministerial kudos. .  Some ‘apples’ may get a wee bit bruised in the process; but the money making carts will, despite a change of owner remain intact.  We’ll see your advisors and raise you a Mike Smith – it’s your your call minister. Yes sir, it is a big pot you’re playing for.

Here endeth the BRB discussion.

Toot toot.

[Peetwo]

Dear Dazza: Safe skies without destroying an industry -

Four days ago I intercepted the following tweep from our immaculately groomed, 'selfie King' Dazzling Dazza:

‏@DarrenChesterMP Sep 14

We can save lives on our roads without sacking owner- drivers @TruckAustralia @NHVR Truckies’ ruling ‘cost lives’http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/industrial-relations/road-safety-remuneration-tribunal-ruling-on-truckies-pay-cost-lives/news-story/a7217bd2347266c0e78001d3259a5acd …

This was in response to the just released damning inquiry report by the Small Business Ombudsman Kate Carnell into the former RSRT ruling to fix rates for smaller trucking companies and small business owner/drivers. Via the Oz :  

Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal ruling on truckies’ pay cost lives


Small Business Ombudsman Kate Carnell. Picture: Ray Strange

• Ewin Hannan
  
• The Australian
  
• 12:00AM September 15, 2016
  

[img=0x0]http://pixel.tcog.cp1.news.com.au/track/component/author/5d8edd37d80bec0ae27c7ad38916de20/?esi=true&t_product=the-australian&t_template=s3/austemp-article_common/vertical/author/widget&td_bio=false[/img]
The Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal caused “crippling’’ ­financial hardship and emotional distress, leading some owner drivers to take their own lives, ­according to a scathing report that recommends the competition watchdog oversee a new ­national code of conduct for the road freight industry.

The damning report by Small Business Ombudsman Kate Carnell found the tribunal’s “discriminatory’’ orders earlier this year to lift the pay rates of thousands of truck drivers made long-distance and supermarket chain drivers uncompetitive, exacerbated existing competitive pressures, and placed families under considerable stress.

“It is with great regret and sympathy that it was reported to the inquiry that some owner-drivers found they were unable to cope with further hardship caused by the (tribunal’s) payments order and took their own lives,’’ the report, obtained by The Australian, found.

The report calls for national advertisements to educate road users about how to drive near trucks and a new apprenticeship scheme to get younger people into trucking.

To address concerns big transport companies had “excessive power’’, it recommends that the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission — which currently enforces five industry codes — work with the Department of Treasury to develop a code of conduct for the road freight industry.

It called for a further inquiry to address an imbalance in the ­industry’s payment structure, with owner-drivers subject to strict payment requirements, while waiting months to get paid. It also found fatigue management laws were inflexible and could result in “perverse situations, such as permitting a person to drive when they are fatigued’’.

The Senate voted in April to scrap the tribunal, after the Turnbull government won the backing of key crossbenchers to kill off the controversial body, set up by Labor after lobbying by the Transport Workers Union.

Just hours before the April vote, the tribunal backflipped, agreeing to consider delaying the introduction of minimum payments for thousands of truck drivers until next year.
While the payments order by the tribunal only operated for two weeks, the inquiry found it had a “wide ranging and significant ­impact on a large part of the road transport industry’’.

“This inquiry has found the payment order’s impact to be ­financially and personally crippling for many small transport business owners and their families,’’ the report says.

“Businesses suffered from a reduction or cessation of available work, and the financial ­impact of this was borne out on households in terms of personal debt, stress, poor mental health and uncertainty about the future. For some of those affected, these impacts continue.’’

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash, who will release the ­report today, said last night the government would “carefully consider’’ its recommendations and respond in due course.

“Reading this report, it is hard to escape one of two conclusions about the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal,’’ she told The Australian. “Either it was one of the most bumbling bureaucracies in living memory, or it had a clear agenda to squeeze out non-unionised small businesses, so the Transport Workers Union could gain control of the industry.’’

Ms Carnell, a former Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive, said last night the evidence heard by the inquiry was “heartbreaking’’.

“Fundamentally what we found was the order caused significant financial and emotional distress for small business owner-drivers; many lost work, resulting in a loss of income that impacted not only on their business, but their entire family,” she said.

“The inquiry also heard evidence that a small number of people found the order compounded their mental health battles and financial difficulties to the extent that they took their own lives, so it’s our strong recommendation that mental health implications be considered when regulation like this is developed in the future.’’

The inquiry found that given the tribunal’s order only set minimum rates of pay for owner-drivers, it had a discriminatory impact on mum-and-dad operators.

“These pay rates did not apply to big-business logistics companies with employed drivers; only mum-and-dad owner-operators were impacted by the order,’’ Ms Carnell said. “This, of course, created an unfair system whereby small business drivers weren’t able to compete on a level playing field.

“To suggest that road safety will improve by implementing a payments system that only affects owner-operators, not the big companies, is extremely misguided; road safety is an issue for all drivers. We found no evidence that owner-operators are less safe than employed drivers.”

The inquiry found the tribunal was overly legalistic and adversarial in its approach. “For many owner-drivers, this was their first experience with this kind of process; they were unaware of proper procedures, and as a result were unprepared for what followed,” she said.

However, the report did not support compensation for small businesses impacted by the tribunal’s order.

For those interested here is the background and link for the ASBFEO inquiry report:

Background

The Office of the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) was requested by the former Minister for Small Business, the Hon Kelly O’Dwyer MP, under section 42(1) of the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Act 2015, to undertake an inquiry into the effect on Australian small businesses of the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal’s Contractor Driver Minimum Payments Road Safety Remuneration Order 2016.

Background

In December 2015, the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal announced it would be introducing new minimum pay rates for owner-drivers under the Contractor Driver Minimum Payments Road Safety Remuneration Order 2016.

The Order was due to come into effect on 4 April 2016. On 1 April 2016, the Federal Court of Australia ordered a stay on the Order, which was subsequently lifted on 7 April 2016.

On 10 April, the Government announced its intention to introduce a bill to abolish the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal. The legislation was passed on 18 April 2016.

The Government has committed to redirecting the previous Tribunal funding to the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator.

Purpose of the inquiry

The ASBFEO gathered information to find out the impact of the Payments Order on Australian small businesses.

The former Minister has also requested that the ASBFEO consider the ways in which the government can consult with small businesses in the development and operation of tribunals and other similar bodies.

Final Report

The Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal Payments Order Inquiry Report was handed over to the Hon Michael McCormack MP, Minister for Small Business and tabled in the House of Representatives on 14 September 2016.

RSRT Payments Order Inquiry Report [PDF, 358 KB]

Again it is not hard to make the comparisons to the aviation industry and in particular to the small aviation businesses and owner operators. It is a crying shame that we don't get the same level of rousing public support (tweeted or otherwise) from our Minister, to at least reassure industry that their concerns are being heard and acted on...

Perhaps it would be worth making a submission to Small Business Ombudsman Kate Carnell to look into the extreme over regulation, duplicity in oversight, bias and embuggerance inflicted on industry by the big "R" regulator CASA, who it would seem is hell bent on decimating the industry of all but the major airlines...

Just a thought, as the good Ombudsman certainly doesn't seem to hold any punches, nor does she muck around...


MTF...P2

[Kharon]

A real job for Dick Smith.

This is where we need Dick Smith; to tell the tale.  He does it so very well; radio chats with ‘Macca’, story time at the Senate.  Brilliant PR, excellent lobbying.  The ‘Truckies’ (bless ‘em all) have many similarities with aviation, although few would know it.  The difference – with no disrespect at all – their industry does not have the incredible amount of rules and restriction’s; the entry costs to start up are chicken feed in comparison; their entire ‘safety’ regulations would not even amount to the MoS for part 61 for pilot qualification, let alone the requirements for maintenance.  Aside: I fail to see how 40 tons of ‘flammable’ is any less dangerous than a Jabiru landing in a paddock – yet, the differential in the potential death toll is staggering.  And yet, the aviation industry keeps accepting more and more fatuous regulation; and absorbing extraordinary ' cost' of compliance'.  Why is 30 or 40 ton of 'dangerous' cargo @ 60 knots on the 'motorway' less dangerous than a 5 ton Chieftain @ 80 knots lobbing a school (Canley Vale).  The potential of F=Ma no matter where, is an accepted risk; for trucks.  The accident and 'incident' statistics are very, very different.  Try enforcing the CASA version of 'safety rules' on the trucking industry - insanity, leading to anarchy.  So the mystique, rather than logic, rules.

Dick has a task here: many aviation businesses are one or two man bands; some have morphed into ‘regional’ carriers - Rex for example, Max Hazelton and Don Kendell bet their boots, socks and their houses on building a business; same-same truckies.  Tough life, long hours, much worry, little profit and big responsibility.   Time and again the parallel of under capitalisation, high financial risk in a tough game come to the forefront.  Difference, the Truckies are cohesive, organized and efficient at getting the message out to the breakfast table and into the ministerial ear.

Get on with it Dick; the converted will always turn out to listen; it’s the deaf, dumb and blind you need to convert. More Senate, more radio, more telling the tale. No one made more difference for a moment than you did in those few short minutes spent talking to those who would, could and did listen.  Forget about the sky falling; sell our problems to the world and we will all cheer you on.

Toot – you can do it – toot.

PS. P2 - maybe we could do an 'ombudsman' thing - need the team on deck for that.  Perhaps?