AUTHOR: Sally Cripps SECTION: GENERAL NEWS ARTICLE TYPE: NEWS ITEM AUDIENCE : 816 PAGE: 3 PRINTED SIZE: 256.00cm² REGION: QLD MARKET: Australia ASR: AUD 553 WORDS: 354 ITEM ID: 1196236279

07 NOV, 2019 Senator makes a stand on CASA

North West Star, Mount Isa Page 1 of 1 Senator makes a stand on CASA

BY SALLY CRIPPS it.ThreeofMsMcDonald's statutory authority, only Nationals Senate colleagues, adopted the second recom- QUEENSLAND Nationals Bridget McKenzie, Matt mendation. Senator Susan McDonald Canavan and Angel Flight CEO Marjorie has backed her conviction weren't present at the vote. Pagani said she was extreme- that new Civil Aviation Safety She said that as the chair- ly surprised not to have Authority regulations will do woman of the Rural and Re- greater Nationals support nothing to improve safety gional Affairs and Transport on the issue, which she de- standards for Angel Flight committee, which recently scribed as a win for the ego users, going against the gov- inquired into of CASA bureaucrats. ernment line in the process. Transport Safety Bureau's "Susan is right - how can On Thursday she crossed report on the June 2017 crash you support a safety regu- the Senate floor to support of a flight conducted on- be lation with no benefit," she a disallowance motion said. "She has shown the in- moved by 's half of Angel Flight Australia, testinal fortitude to do what's that would have she probably had the best right rather than follow a scrapped onerous new reg- understanding of what the party line." ulations for non-emergency regulations would mean to The change means that medical flights, Angel Flight rural people. maintenance costs for Angel in particular. The committee made Flight pilots could treble. For In doing so, she said that two recommendations, to a single engine plane these when CASA wasn't able remove the provision for ad- currently average $6000, and to demonstrate a basis for ditional aeroplane mainte- for twin engines it's $12,000. increased regulation and nance requirements, which Ms Pagani described costs through greater main- are beyond those required CASA's position as sheer tenance, it was necessary for in the general aviation sec- bloody-mindedness. her to not support additional tor; and clarification around aviation regulation that did what constitutes the 'oper- not lead to greater safety, just ating crew' for a community higher costs. service flight, particularly as The motion was lost 12-29 this relates to additional pi- after the government and lots and mentoring arrange- opposition voted against ments. CASA, an independent

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