Letter to the Editor

Just this week in Canberra, we have had discussions at the highest level with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) officials, making light of the fact that the burdensome and onerous cost structures being imposed upon people in aviation are driving our North Queensland small charter operators to ground their planes.

I’m informed continuously and uniformly that time delays, red tape and subsequent cost impacts are being imposed by CASA.

To point to one example, there have been reports of hold ups on medical reports being issued to pilots. Without a medical certificate, pilots cannot fly.

At the present moment this issue seems to be widespread throughout the industry.

We have increased our pressure on CASA and expressed, yet again, our extreme dissatisfaction with pilots and small charter operators throughout Kennedy and
Australia, having their planes grounded and businesses closed down whilst they await the good graces of medical administrators in CASA.

As we write this, our repair and maintenance engineers in North Queensland are under severe stress - crisis some might even say, again due to the requirements imposed on them by CASA.

Again, another example of Government unreasonably placing demands on small operators.

I’ve expressed our extreme unhappiness at this situation and to say the least, I’m not even pleased remotely.

We have demanded that these issues be addressed immediately.

Hon Bob Katter MP
Federal Member for Kennedy