[Peetwo]

Keeping it in the family?

From the No 1 member of the AEF (Airservices Executive Fanclub) Dougy... 

...And next week is Waypoint,  Airservices’ annual hosting of its customers in Canberra. It’s always informative and the interactions in and around it are always interesting to observe. It will another strong platform for acting CEO Jason Harfield to strengthen his claim for the full-time job. So far he’s done admirably at a string of official appearances. 

There was also this vomitus bit of news on Fort Fumble's favourite journo Creepy..

...Airservices has acquired the services of the guru of the Aviation Section of Friday’s Australian, Steve Creedy. So someone else will have to fill those (literally and figuratively) big shoes at the Oz. I’ll bet there’s a bit of a bun fight for the job underway, though scribe Lisa Allen seems to have the early running. Clearly Steve will be doing something with words at Airservices. Speechwriting perhaps?...

Hmm...wonder if the writing was already on the wall?? Here are Thorny & P7's thoughts on this development:

TB:  ..May interest a few out there that the CAsA resident glove puppet at the Australian Newspaper is departing the rag for his reward, an appointment with ASA no less. Well all those years of regurgitating CAsA spin had to lead somewhere...


 P7: 




This would be on account of his vast knowledge of providing ‘services’ to ASA; expertise and the like.  Just what Air services Australia needs; another clapped out sycophant.  Good call miniscule, glad to see you have a firm grip on the important things we really need to spend an outrageous amount of money on – nice one.

Getting match fit..

Here they are Harfy, Hoodlum & Dougy with a bit of male bonding in FNQ...

....err whoops, wrong Dougy apparently

Oh well Dougy can possibly add to his ASA Fan-club photo album - err maybe

Good news for the ASA Exec Futures (Trough) Fund 
On the subject of glowing loaded endorsements for Harwit's loaded pitch for the top job, it would seem that under his leadership (fiefdom) that the ASA Execs have been able to schmooze over the previously highly critical Public Works Committee.. :

Mr PERRETT (Moreton) (16:13): On behalf the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, I present report No. 9 of 2015, Referrals made August 2015.

Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e).

Mr PERRETT: ...The next two projects are for Airservices Australia. This committee has previously reported that existing air traffic management systems used by Airservices and Defence will be replaced by a combined Civil-Military Air Traffic System. This new system is being implemented as part of the OneSKY Australia Program. Both projects I am reporting on today are concerned with upgrading current facilities to support the new combined system into the future. The first project involves refurbishing control towers in Brisbane and Cairns. These towers were built in 1987 and 1990 respectively and have reached the end of their useful life. The proposed works will extend this by at least 15 years by treating corrosion, upgrading mechanical systems and modernising the internal fit-out. The works will also prepare the towers for the installation of new technology, known as the Integrated Tower Automation Suite. This technology will eventually be integrated with the combined Civil-Military Air Traffic System. Works are expected to be completed by late 2016 in Cairns and mid-2017 in Brisbane.

The committee received a briefing from Airservices and conducted hearings on 16 October. During the briefing, the committee saw photographs of ageing infrastructure. At the public hearing, Airservices noted lessons learned from similar projects, specifically around maintaining air traffic services while the works progress and managing expectations of building occupants. Separately, the works are expected to cost $9.98 million for Brisbane and $13.95 million for Cairns, with a combined total of $23.9 million. At the public hearing, Airservices explained that the higher cost for Cairns is due to the presence of a two-storey building at the base of the control tower. This building requires upgrading and forms part of the scope for the Cairns project. The committee is satisfied that the project has merit in terms of need, scope and cost and recommends that it proceed.

The second project for Airservices concerns constructing additional buildings at air traffic service centres in Melbourne and Brisbane. The proposed works will provide extra operations and training facilities. This will allow the existing air traffic system and the new combined system to run in tandem for four years. Once the combined civil-military system is fully operational it will replace the current system and existing facilities may be repurposed. Works are expected to be completed by the end of 2017, ready for the combined system to be introduced in 2018. The project is expected to cost $107 million.
The committee received a briefing from Airservices and conducted hearings in Canberra on 16 October—we did not go to Cairns, as I had hoped. During the public hearing, Airservices noted that running both systems concurrently will allow staff to become confident with the combined civil-military system before switching over to the new system. During the transition, the two systems will also provide back-up, should one system be unable to meet requirements; thereby reducing the risk of disruption to air traffic services. Airservices also told the committee that the proposed new facilities would have their own power and water supply, providing for reliable and independent operation 24 hours a day.

Given the number of capital works projects in progress, the committee sought and received assurances from Airservices that it had sufficient resources and expertise to manage them all. The committee is satisfied that the project has merit in terms of need, scope and cost and recommends that it proceed. I commend this report to the House.

"Safe trough-feeding for some"


MTF..P2