[Sandy Reith]

Fine ideas and fine words, lets see what happens in practice, especially in Australia where we are hardly noted for timely or practical rule change.

One recurrent theme that is concerning, the notion that discretion by the regulators is an integral and necessary element in the pursuit of so-called 'just culture'. This smacks of rule by regulator not rule by law. In addition, tying in voluntary reporting to airline safety statistics is a bit of a stretch. Maybe the insurance companies, aircraft manufacturers and commercial imperatives, let alone self preservation of flight crew, are the real drivers. In this day and age the reputation of an airline is so readily available and there is much more choice of services and carriers than twenty years ago.

Perhaps the spectacular nature of an airliner accident, and the slim chance of surviving such an accident, creates the psychological background where the concept 'safety at any cost' prevails and the air safety industry flourishes. Our CASA being a prime example of the excesses in the air safety industry. More than 800 employed to regulate an industry where little would change if none were employed (except much growth in GA). This is the backward, costly and ill founded distortion in aviation that does not pertain to other means of transport.