[Wombat]

Sandy, I wonder if we are overthinking the issue of regulations and regulator?

The regulations are now so convoluted, imprecise and contradictory that they form a regulatory briar patch that is too thick to hack through. The evidence for this can be found in any number of places that I will not even begin to catalogue.

It also appears that this state allows great latitude to CASA (but not to industry) on how these regulations are interpreted and applied. This exacerbates power imbalances and introduces temptations.

Furthermore, the state of regulation provides an endless make work revenue stream to CASA, there is nothing for them to gain by simplifying things.

The costs involved in over regulation, both direct industry costs and opportunity costs, are hidden from the general public.

More importantly, with the exception of angel flight, RFDS and fire bombing, there is very little electoral support for or understanding of general aviation. The egalitarian nature of Australian society makes it very easy to portray participants as rich stuck up creeps who deserve no sympathy if not actual punishment.

So to me, it is not surprising that the Senate will pull its punches, produce a mealy mouthed short report designed to be quickly forgotten and then concentrate their efforts on the more important personal task of re-election next year.

My expectations of reform are zero. The trigger for public interest in reform will be a major air accident with heavy loss of life. The reforms that will come out of such a tragedy will then be even more extreme and costly regulation, not the new broom so desperately needed.

If there is a trigger for meaningful reform, I don’t know what it is.