09-18-2020, 07:02 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-19-2020, 08:03 AM by thorn bird.)
Its all a matter of Opinion
Lord Acton, a British historian and politician, is credited with the adage;
“Power Corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely”
He also wrote;
“Liberty is not the power of doing what we like, but the right of being able to do what we ought”
Very prophetic words, however very similar words have been expressed throughout history by other noted thinkers. As a student of history, no doubt Lord Acton’s thoughts were influenced by other writers which ultimately formulated his expressed “opinions”.
Throughout our lives as sentient beings, we develop our own opinions as to how and why things influence our lives. Many are formed from our upbringing, some from our education, some from life’s experiences, many by accepting other’s opinions and for some a healthy dose of ego.
Where things can come unstuck is when we allow our opinions to be so rigidly set in our minds that we ignore or refuse to accept when evidence or logical argument indicates that perhaps our opinion may just be wrong.
In Australia’s representative government, we the people elect candidates to represent us
and our interests within the legislative government. Unfortunately, this simple concept is not quite the way it works. Politicians generally join parties, parties who’s manifesto closely mirrors their own beliefs. Parties develop policies which their executive branch (Cabinet) are bound to implement. An individual politician may disagree on certain “policies” but are bound to vote in favour to maintain party solidarity. The consequences of going against the party can be severe. In the end, supposedly it comes down to the majority wins the day, from the party room to the cabinet to the vote in the parliament to the final vote in the house of review, the senate. An idea developed into an opinion, no matter how brilliant, faces an arduous road to fruition, constantly bombarded with competing opinions and interests.
Counting the number of lobbyists in Canberra perhaps indicates how fraught with danger the political profession can be.
Politicians, as we all do, have opinions of their own, but it’s a brave politician who freely expresses them. There is also the fact that it is impossible for anyone to have expertise in every facet of government business, for that they must rely on advice, often advice not based on a persons expertise rather their opinion.
Ministers, the supposed arbiters of what gets a look in and what doesn’t, may not necessarily have the slightest idea of the nuances and technicalities of the portfolio they oversee, nor should they have to, other than rudimentary knowledge. Its their job to look at the “Big picture” take considered advice and make a decision, Yeah or Nay.
It comes down to exactly who they take advice from or whether that advice is based on facts or is just an opinion based on something else.
In truth the opinions of the Industry ministers represent are rarely sought, by either the minister responsible, nor the bureaucrats.
The formulation of law and its management falls to various public service departments and their attendant bureaucrats. In the case of aviation an Independent Statutory Authority.
The key word is “independent” in that the minister has no real control of how CASA goes about its business. He appoints a board of directors, mostly political flunkies, gives them a statement of expectation and leaves them to it, free from political interference or scrutiny.
“Power Corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely”
It is recognised within the aviation industry that the expertise within CASA is somewhat scant. There are some very fine individuals who do their best, but a toxic culture within middle management bullies anyone not following the script. The choice? tow the line or leave in disgust.
An Independent Statutory Authority provides a responsible minister with a perfect model.
Absolved from all responsibility and the bureaucrats from scrutiny of everything they do.
From the CASA website;
Our vision, mission and values
Our vision: Safe skies for all.
Our mission:
To promote a positive and collaborative safety culture through a fair, effective and efficient aviation safety regulatory system, supporting our aviation community.
Our values
• Excellence - to strive to excel in all we do.
• Courage - to act with strength of character and conviction while being accountable for our actions.
• Teamwork - to work together to promote a strong, cohesive and highly effective workforce.
• Fairness - to ensure our actions and decisions are informed, consistent, risk-based, evidence driven and without bias.
• Integrity - our actions and behaviour are open, transparent and ethical.
• Respect - to engage with our peers, colleagues and the wider aviation community in a clear, concise and respectful manner at all times.
• Innovation - to challenge existing practices and look for opportunities to support effective continuous improvement.
I don’t believe there is anyone within the industry that believes any of the above motherhood statements apply or have been achieved.
Over thirty years ago CASA embarked on a regulatory reform program that has cost the Australian taxpayer over half a billion dollars to develop and is still not complete.
What has been produced? Masses of convoluted legislation which flies in the face of what was envisioned and against the objections of the industry.
The most convoluted, extreme, industry destroying suite of unusable regulation that does not achieve so called “Safety” imperative, rather the exact opposite.
By way of example CASA requires over 700 pages of legalise to annunciate pilot licencing and standards. The USA and New Zealand do it in around 90 pages, in plain English, that everyone can understand, and they achieve better safety outcomes.
Australia has completely failed in all the objectives of the original reform directives and become an international joke in the aviation world.
The tragedy in all this is there is so much General aviation in particular could contribute. Unshackled from the straight jacket CASA have created, especially in regional areas.
Creating Jobs, jobs and more jobs we are told is the governments primary objective as we come out of the Covid crisis. Bankstown airport once directly employed over eight thousand people. Under CASA’s yoke today, a few hundred. There is no reason why it could not again stand out as the busiest airport in the southern hemisphere. Also, once upon a time our regional airports were busy places, not so today.
New Zealand shows us what could be, they adopted the most mature, safest regulations in the world, the US FAR’s. A couple of years and a few million dollars we could follow their example instead of this façade CASA arrogantly continues to promote.
Unlock our industry and let it thrive.
It is also maybe pertinent to observe where New Zealand sits on the Corruption perceptions index.
New Zealand sits equal first with Denmark. Australia sits at number 12.
Should that maybe tell us something?
Lord Acton, a British historian and politician, is credited with the adage;
“Power Corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely”
He also wrote;
“Liberty is not the power of doing what we like, but the right of being able to do what we ought”
Very prophetic words, however very similar words have been expressed throughout history by other noted thinkers. As a student of history, no doubt Lord Acton’s thoughts were influenced by other writers which ultimately formulated his expressed “opinions”.
Throughout our lives as sentient beings, we develop our own opinions as to how and why things influence our lives. Many are formed from our upbringing, some from our education, some from life’s experiences, many by accepting other’s opinions and for some a healthy dose of ego.
Where things can come unstuck is when we allow our opinions to be so rigidly set in our minds that we ignore or refuse to accept when evidence or logical argument indicates that perhaps our opinion may just be wrong.
In Australia’s representative government, we the people elect candidates to represent us
and our interests within the legislative government. Unfortunately, this simple concept is not quite the way it works. Politicians generally join parties, parties who’s manifesto closely mirrors their own beliefs. Parties develop policies which their executive branch (Cabinet) are bound to implement. An individual politician may disagree on certain “policies” but are bound to vote in favour to maintain party solidarity. The consequences of going against the party can be severe. In the end, supposedly it comes down to the majority wins the day, from the party room to the cabinet to the vote in the parliament to the final vote in the house of review, the senate. An idea developed into an opinion, no matter how brilliant, faces an arduous road to fruition, constantly bombarded with competing opinions and interests.
Counting the number of lobbyists in Canberra perhaps indicates how fraught with danger the political profession can be.
Politicians, as we all do, have opinions of their own, but it’s a brave politician who freely expresses them. There is also the fact that it is impossible for anyone to have expertise in every facet of government business, for that they must rely on advice, often advice not based on a persons expertise rather their opinion.
Ministers, the supposed arbiters of what gets a look in and what doesn’t, may not necessarily have the slightest idea of the nuances and technicalities of the portfolio they oversee, nor should they have to, other than rudimentary knowledge. Its their job to look at the “Big picture” take considered advice and make a decision, Yeah or Nay.
It comes down to exactly who they take advice from or whether that advice is based on facts or is just an opinion based on something else.
In truth the opinions of the Industry ministers represent are rarely sought, by either the minister responsible, nor the bureaucrats.
The formulation of law and its management falls to various public service departments and their attendant bureaucrats. In the case of aviation an Independent Statutory Authority.
The key word is “independent” in that the minister has no real control of how CASA goes about its business. He appoints a board of directors, mostly political flunkies, gives them a statement of expectation and leaves them to it, free from political interference or scrutiny.
“Power Corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely”
It is recognised within the aviation industry that the expertise within CASA is somewhat scant. There are some very fine individuals who do their best, but a toxic culture within middle management bullies anyone not following the script. The choice? tow the line or leave in disgust.
An Independent Statutory Authority provides a responsible minister with a perfect model.
Absolved from all responsibility and the bureaucrats from scrutiny of everything they do.
From the CASA website;
Our vision, mission and values
Our vision: Safe skies for all.
Our mission:
To promote a positive and collaborative safety culture through a fair, effective and efficient aviation safety regulatory system, supporting our aviation community.
Our values
• Excellence - to strive to excel in all we do.
• Courage - to act with strength of character and conviction while being accountable for our actions.
• Teamwork - to work together to promote a strong, cohesive and highly effective workforce.
• Fairness - to ensure our actions and decisions are informed, consistent, risk-based, evidence driven and without bias.
• Integrity - our actions and behaviour are open, transparent and ethical.
• Respect - to engage with our peers, colleagues and the wider aviation community in a clear, concise and respectful manner at all times.
• Innovation - to challenge existing practices and look for opportunities to support effective continuous improvement.
I don’t believe there is anyone within the industry that believes any of the above motherhood statements apply or have been achieved.
Over thirty years ago CASA embarked on a regulatory reform program that has cost the Australian taxpayer over half a billion dollars to develop and is still not complete.
What has been produced? Masses of convoluted legislation which flies in the face of what was envisioned and against the objections of the industry.
The most convoluted, extreme, industry destroying suite of unusable regulation that does not achieve so called “Safety” imperative, rather the exact opposite.
By way of example CASA requires over 700 pages of legalise to annunciate pilot licencing and standards. The USA and New Zealand do it in around 90 pages, in plain English, that everyone can understand, and they achieve better safety outcomes.
Australia has completely failed in all the objectives of the original reform directives and become an international joke in the aviation world.
The tragedy in all this is there is so much General aviation in particular could contribute. Unshackled from the straight jacket CASA have created, especially in regional areas.
Creating Jobs, jobs and more jobs we are told is the governments primary objective as we come out of the Covid crisis. Bankstown airport once directly employed over eight thousand people. Under CASA’s yoke today, a few hundred. There is no reason why it could not again stand out as the busiest airport in the southern hemisphere. Also, once upon a time our regional airports were busy places, not so today.
New Zealand shows us what could be, they adopted the most mature, safest regulations in the world, the US FAR’s. A couple of years and a few million dollars we could follow their example instead of this façade CASA arrogantly continues to promote.
Unlock our industry and let it thrive.
It is also maybe pertinent to observe where New Zealand sits on the Corruption perceptions index.
New Zealand sits equal first with Denmark. Australia sits at number 12.
Should that maybe tell us something?