[Peetwo]

TICK TOCK goes the miniscule's Play School clock - 

Via the 20/20 thread:

IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE this week; please take a moment to read – THIS – from the erudite, articulate 'Lead Balloon' on the UP forum.

We will ensure it gets delivered to the Senate RRAT crew; it may provide a pathway to sanity and a clear line to the committee actually achieving some kind of result; even at the glacial speed they move at. If yesterday's pathetic effort is what we may expect in the anticipated 'inquiry', then that committee needs all the help it can get.

Sandy in follow up reply to Leady's erudite post - 

Lead Balloon firmly grounded with facts

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The essential element that needs to be propounded over again and again is that Parliament is responsible for the extraordinary crushing of what should be a thriving Australian General Aviation (GA) industry via it’s creation the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and by Parliament’s total acquiescence to that body.

The independent corporate body model of governance, being practically divorced from Ministerial oversight and is not tied to the Public Service pay scales, and, as a corporate entity, may be sued has proven to be a resounding failure. It was also touted, originally, when shoved out of Departmental auspices, as a Government Business Enterprise (GBE). Never was there such a contradiction of terms, Government is not a commercial entity and has demonstrated time and again it has not the expertise nor the incentives to make profitable business. The idea that these ‘GBEs’, or other such Commonwealth corporate bodies, which are monopolistic regimes (illegal if true businesses) can ever be anything like a business is total pie in the sky, has no rationale, let alone commonsense. Is it any wonder that CASA devises ever more unnecessary and complex rules for which permits are required and thus we have fee gouging on an industrial scale never seen before in any area of the ‘Public Sector.’ This was once known as the Public Service, but now being a ‘Sector’ it has become a rival, with state sanctioned monopoly power, with private enterprise. The GA industry is virtually on it’s knees, the CASA make work program continues unabated in spite of COVID 19, and now it cries poor for money to support it’s $190,000,000 pa appetite because the fuel levy monies are not flowing to it. It’s CEO is paid c. $650,000 and several senior managers also are paid more than the Minister who is supposed to have responsibility. There’s been not one Minister with sufficient sense of duty or the internal fortitude to rein in this beast.

if anyone is aggrieved or simply feels duty bound to exert influence to see changes for the betterment of GA then the first port of call is your local federal Member of Parliament. The only way that our democracy can work properly is for individuals to engage with their MPs who are paid to represent each of their constituents. As we have seen time and again since 1988 trying to reason with the CASA has largely been a waste of time, with perhaps some steps in the right direction in the late 90s due to some exceptional and tenacious effort by certain individuals, and one in particular.

This engaging with MPs, and our state Senators, will not greatly impress if its just one email every year or two. Some constancy is required and the more numbers the better. Joining a political party is better again, you will have more access and may gain more attention and influence in pursuit of sensible policies for GA and all of our aviation industry.

And also in reply RatsoreA draws attention to this Canberra Times article - :

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Workplace problems plaguing CASA present serious risk for air disaster: Professionals Australia



 Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack says CASA is appropriately funded and staffed to ensure the necessary safety checks are completed. Picture: Dion Georgopoulos

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It is also worth reading the Compressor Stall and LB posts that follow - from HERE.

MTF...P2