[Peetwo]

I have attached the transcript for 24 February 2015, and also the response provided in October 2012.

Not sure the general answer provided in 2012 (i.e. we had an interview) addresses the specific question about due diligence asked by NX in February 2015.


Question no.: 172
Program: n/a
Division/Agency: Civil Aviation Safety Authority
Topic: Pel-Air Chief Pilot
Proof Hansard Page: 103 (24 February 2015)
Senator Xenophon, Nick asked:

Senator XENOPHON: I am happy to ask you further questions on this, because it was quite a seminal report about aviation safety investigations and interrelationship between the agencies. Further, in respect of that report, you may be aware of the significant regulatory failures found within Pel-Air by CASA after the ditching, both in that special audit and in the Chambers report. Does the former chief pilot of Pel-Air, who was with the company when these breaches occurred, now hold, or has he held recently, a regulatory compliance position within CASA?

Mr Skidmore: I cannot answer that with my estimation—

Senator XENOPHON: Mr Farquharson may know.

Mr Farquharson: I am aware that he did.

Senator XENOPHON: This is something that Senator Heffernan was particularly interested in, in terms of the former chief pilot of Pel-Air working with CASA.

Mr Farquharson: I am aware that he did join CASA. I am not sure whether he is still with us.

Senator XENOPHON: Could you take that on notice, please, and if he did leave, on what date did he leave?

CHAIR: That was with regard to the downgrading of the incident judgement call.

Senator XENOPHON: Yes. What due diligence did CASA undertake to ensure this individual was not responsible for the many and significant breaches found within Pel-Air and was arguably unsuitable to hold such a role within CASA? I am happy if you take it on notice, but it is a key—

Mr Skidmore: I think we will have to take it on notice.

Answer:
The relevant officer is still employed by CASA in the Operations Division.

The response to this matter was provided for in Question on Notice: CASA08 provided to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee after the Inquiry into Aviation Accident and Investigations (Pel-Air) hearing on 22 October 2012 and referenced in the Hansard for the 22 October 2012 hearing from pp. 33-52.

slats here is the moving pics that match the Hansard which you quote from CASA QON 172:

In regards to the Wickham line of questioning by the RRAT Committee in the PelAir Inquiry, there was also another classic McComic (foot in mouth) retraction that bears some relevance to the topic of the inestimable Mr Wickham... :



Hmm...do you reckon that Nick is going to drop this line of questioning now that it is confirmed that CASA LSD (the Iron Ring ringleaders... ) still obviously have much to hide in the dubious veracity of Mr Wickham's appointment to Fort Fumble FOI ranks?

Q/ I wonder if Mr Wickham has in anyway - since the above retraction - been involved in any regulatory oversight operations of the REX/PelAir AOCs?

MTF...P2