[Peetwo]

Of cancelled subscriptions.

You have to wonder why the editorial staff of a publication, such as Australian Flying, tolerate reporting which is neither ‘straight’ nor informative. They have, I expect, a minimal market share in a competitive field with a limited audience. The ‘story’ (for wont of better) Hitch is blindly groping around the edges of has only two main elements, to wit, the ongoing battle for reform of both regulator and regulation and those who oppose that reform. It really is that simple. The key pieces on the board are industry; CASA, and the incumbent minister. A game of thrones: of influence and of power exercised.  

What Hitch fails to have the hutzpah to address are the base issues; scripting opinion instead of simply reporting the facts – as they stand – having investigated the story thoroughly. The wishy-washy tumble of words presented cannot be taken as a serious attempt at ‘journalism’ although Hitch does try to sell the notion that he is, in fact a real deal ‘Journo’. He ain’t, not by a long shot.

Tomorrow, there is to be a public hearing related to matters aeronautical; yet nary a word of this from Hitch. It is, IMO, a pivotal session of the RRAT committee, revolving around a grass roots matter – medicals for private operations and the CASA created battle between two warring factions for supremacy. That both need their fool heads banged together for falling into the cleverly laid scheme to divide and conquer that element of recreational flying and thus diluting the universal call for reform needs to be amplified. Hitch fails, once again, to present an unbiased, clinical assessment of the situation as it stands.

Then, we read the half baked analysis of the Act and the SOE, which, once again, demonstrates the Hitch version of cart before horse. Clearly, he just ‘don’t get it’. In simple terms the nexus lays with the Seaview accident and the Staunton report. There was a determination made that no matter what, a minister would never, not ever, be put into the same situation again. CASA responded by demanding more autonomy, grabbing both control and money. SAFETY was to be paramount; political safety that is and so began the unbridled reign of the big R regulator. This has become a happy thing for all ministers as they are iron clad and bullet proof from any and all association with matters aeronautical. Guilt free and publically blameless. CASA milk this for every drop and will defend the unlimited power and unaccountability for all that they are worth. Why would anyone willingly dismantle a smoothly running protection system like that to satisfy the calls of a very small minority group? Don’t make any political sense whatsoever.

Yet the need for reform is obvious, the need to free an ailing industry from the chains of prescriptive regulation which cripple and bind innovation and investment must be broken. The need for a system which does not lend itself to fear of criminal conviction – on whim – without trial is blindingly obvious. We are a free, democratic country, with rights enshrined in law; removed by the Civil Aviation Act. Could it be said that it is unconstitutional? YES is the answer; this had been publicly said, with the rider that no one could afford to challenge it.

There is a lot more riding on the call for reform than Hitch has grasped, a cartload more. Yet this latest trite, biased, ill informed load of waffle is published. The good thing is only a few will read it; few of those will see the dire need for a united front for reform; even fewer will give 20 seconds constructive thought to how the industry, not themselves will benefit from a united, clearly enunciated, robust call for reform.

Hitch needs to go back to writing his wee tales of joy flights in the latest Tupperware offering and stay away from serious matters he clearly does not understand. Before someone accuses him of dragging the good name of a once respected publication into the mud of deceit and the stench of bias.

Toot – toot.

Not really wanting to stir up the Ferryman too much but once again I am totally perplexed on the WTD? Hitch is playing at -  

Except for the comments IMO the LMH is really not worth regurgitating but for shits & giggles here is the link: The Last Minute Hitch: 23 November 2018 

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Okay no lightning bolts yet?? - so here are the comments - 

Scotty • 17 hours ago

CASA sadly, has a long and proud history of being less than honest or realistic in its existence to create an endless stream of 'make work' for itself as it fusses over 50 year old proven tech that is GA. The idea that a PPL needs a $400 medical every 2 years is joke, especially the $65 just to stamp the medical by the bureaucracy behemoth.. Being a monopoly administrator gives CASA an unlimited level of power which has NOT served the Australian flying public well, not the people who live under the aircraft that fly over their heads, those of whom are CASA's first priority as a Government regulator and which it seems to forget.

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frankus54 • 18 hours ago

Is there a link to audio/video from the standing comittee's meeting?

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Sandy Reith  frankus54 • 12 hours ago

Hansard and a number of FaceBook posts from AOPA will give you the full video stream. Die laughing or die of shame and disgust as you watch the lies and rubbish purporting to come from ‘the experts.’ Apart from the extraordinary false claim about the groups agreement signing that was merely an attendance sheet, such beauties as CASA’s utterly ridiculous statement as fact that ‘flight risk goes up greatly when an aircraft enters controlled airspace.’!!! Did the Senators ask for proof? No! —that one even went past the keeper. Gaud ‘elp uz. I note in today’s CASA briefing Mr. Carmody exhorts us to be honest. Say no more. Amazing that we taxpayers spend around $200 million pa on the CASA’s diabolical pathway of wrecking GA. Hitch, you are right when you say there was some confusion, the Senators were having a hard time. CASA could have helped but that might be deleterious to their jobs. For November there’s an awful lot of snow about.

MTF...P2