Interim
report - Administration
of the Civil Aviation
Safety Authority
Download this report as a single file: (PDF format)
August
2004
© Commonwealth of Australia
ISBN 0 642 71438 X
Membership of the Committee
Members
|
Senator the Hon.
Bill Heffernan
|
LP, New
South Wales
|
Chair
|
|
Senator Geoffrey
Buckland
|
ALP, South
Australia
|
Deputy Chair
|
|
Senator John
Cherry
|
AD, Queensland
|
|
|
Senator Richard
Colbeck
|
LP, Tasmania
|
|
|
Senator Jeannie
Ferris
|
LP, South
Australia
|
|
|
Senator Kerry
O'Brien
|
ALP, Tasmania
|
|
Participating Members
|
Senator Abetz
Senator Bishop
Senator Boswell
Senator Brown
Senator Carr
Senator Chapman
Senator Coonan
Senator Eggleston
Senator Evans
Senator Faulkner
|
Senator Ferguson
Senator Harradine
Senator Harris
Senator Hutchins
Senator Knowles
Senator Lightfoot
Senator Mason
Senator S MacDonald
Senator Mackay
Senator McGauran
|
Senator McLucas
Senator Murphy
Senator Payne
Senator Ray
Senator Santoro
Senator Stephens
Senator Tchen
Senator Tierney
Senator Watson
Senator Webber
|
Senator
Allison for matters relating to the Transport Portfolio
Senator
Greig for matters relating to the Fisheries Portfolio
Senator
Lees for matters relating to Air Safety
Committee
Secretariat
Ms
Maureen Weeks,
Secretary
Ms Rosalind McMahon, Executive
Assistant
Parliament House, Canberra
Telephone: (02)
6277 3511
Facsimile (02)
6277 5811
Internet: www.aph.gov.au/senate_rrat
Email: rrat.sen@aph.gov.au
REPORT TO THE SENATE
Background
1.1
Work on the inquiry into the administration of the Civil
Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) was commenced by this Committees
predecessor in the 39th Parliament.
1.2
At a meeting on 12
March 2002, this Committee
considered those references that had not be disposed of at the end of the 39th
Parliament and agreed to recommend to the Senate that the administration of
CASA be re-adopted as an inquiry. The Committee
reported its decision to the Senate. On 13
March 2002, on the Senate's resolution, the inquiry was formally
re-adopted by the Committee. The Committee
was initially charged with reporting by the last sitting day in June 2002, but
this was subsequently amended to 5
August 2004.
The scope of the inquiry and the Committee's
work
1.3
Initially, in 1999, the inquiry was self-referred under
the provisions of standing order 25(2)(b) which, in part states:
The legislation committees shall inquire into and report upon
and the performance of departments and agencies allocated to them.
1.4
It encompassed three primary issues that were of
concern to the Committee's predecessor. These
issues were:
-
The appointment of Mr Laurie Foley to a senior
position in CASA;
-
CASA's administration of matters raised by Avgas
contamination; and
-
CASA's oversight and administration of
maintenance programs of Australia's Regular Public Transport (RPT) operators.
1.5
The Committee's inquiry took a number of submissions
and held hearings in 2000 and 2001, particularly in relation to the
administration of maintenance programs.
1.6
It was the administration of maintenance programs that
became the focus of the Committee's inquiry as the issue of Mr
Foley's appointment became less critical
with his resignation. Although the matters arising in relation to the Avgas
contamination relate to CASA investigations, the compensation packages provided
by Mobil Oil (the producer of the contaminated avgas) did compensate operators
for engine damage and/or economic loss arising from the use of contaminated
fuel.
1.7
The Committee tabled
an Interim Report in the Senate on 27
June 2002. In that report it noted that it had not completed its
inquiry but would be pursuing it further.
1.8
During successive Estimates Hearings, the Committee
has monitored CASA's work, particularly in relation to its administration of
maintenance programs. The Committee has
therefore decided that it would be appropriate to make any final conclusions it
has on the administration of CASA in the context of its standing inquiry into
annual reports. It notes that CASA's annual report is currently under the Committee's
consideration and therefore makes the following recommendation.
Recommendation 1
1.9
The Committee recommends that it concludes its inquiry
into the administration of CASA by reporting its findings as part of the report
it makes to the Senate in accordance with the provisions of standing order
25(21).
Senator the Hon. Bill Heffernan
Chair