[Sandy Reith]

Bravo Susan McDonald, bravo in the sense of fearless because it takes a strong sense of duty to expound on what maybe construed as criticism of the incumbent National Party oversight of transport in the Coalition government. ‘Oversight’ in this case looking right over and avoiding any view of the wreckage of matters aviation that’s been caused by successive governments. In Coalition the aviation responsibility has always been in the transport portfolio which has for many years gone to the National Party.

In 2005 I led a deputation to the then Minister Warren Truss, leader of the National Party, about the parlous state of General Aviation (GA) with some ideas to stem the decline and stimulate growth. Three of us made the journey to Melbourne, and my then federal MP, who made the appointment attended also, to meet the Minister and his advisor. We had a short prepared submission which I attempted to deliver only to be cut short by Mr. Truss who proceeded to tell us that any possible shortcomings in regular GA were more than made up by growth in the low weight category.

In other words this deputation was a total and complete waste of time and money.  We can only hope that sooner or later the blindingly obvious will be recognised by senior people in Cabinet who might just see that this country cannot afford huge fee gouging bureaucracies who stymie free enterprise to maintain their feather beds at the expense of the taxpayer.

Perhaps, or, if the massive COVID induced fiscal black hole causes the government to look about for efficiencies and areas that can grow then GA might see some reforms.